JOC Europe in action to guarantee a "tomorrow"!

Do you know if you will be working tomorrow? Are you sure you'll have a job, a place to live, an income to allow yourself to be independent and make decisions about your life? Well, millions of young workers around the world don't really have any certainty about their future. Employment that lasts from between a few hours to a few months, is a daily reality for too many young workers. Is it really too much to ask to have a contract of work that lasts for more than a day or a week? Is it possible to have a social system accessible to all, that protects us from unemployment and insecurity? After all, the UN Declaration of Human Rights tell us that "Everyone has the right to work, to free choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to protection against unemployment." (Article 23). The young workers we've spoken to would like the chance to have a little more certainty and security in their lives, and for this reason, we've decided to take action.

Where did this plan come from?

For several years, the International YCW (IYCW) has been developing analysis and action in response to the different realities faced by young workers everywhere, in all types of employment: young people working without contracts in the informal economy; young women workers - facing discrimination and insecurity; unemployed and apprentices - facing difficulties to enter the labour force, and young workers in temporary and precarious working conditions, facing limited employment possibilities. These different international experiences of life and work, have been helping us here in Europe to develop our focus for action - our starting point for changing the world! What we've discovered through our action and collection of testimonies of young workers, is a common key concern: labour precariousness and its influence on young workers' lives. Young workers - as interim labourers, as migrants, unemployed, as temporary workers - live the daily insecurity of not knowing when they might work again, or how to guarantee an income to meet their basic needs.

European YCW (JOC Europe) is an organisation of young workers from several different countries. It is member of an International YCW (IYCW) movement existing in five continents. In Europe there are YCW members right across the continent, from North to South and from East to West.

The YCW is a Movement that educates through action. A school of life.  Starting out from young workers'  daily life experiences and aspirations, the YCW uses a method to SEE (analyse), JUDGE (reflect) and ACT (develop actions) to create change.  We analyse the collective problems young people face in their working and day to day lives. In the process, young people grow more aware of their situations, and  want to change them to  create a society that reflects the values of solidarity and human dignity.

We want to join forces and get organised so that we can direct our thoughts, aspirations and energies towards improving the quality of life. For this reason we attach a lot of importance to training young activists who can create and lead groups, communities and teams in order to put an end to existing inequalities.

We are open to everyone who wishes to get involved in our projects, but we give the highest importance to the active participation of young workers  in all levels of the organisation.  We are active at a local, national and international level through actions and activities promoting our vision of solidarity and justice for all.

Our task also includes representing young workers at the level of political institutions in Europe.

For all these reasons, we invite you to get to know us better!

Come and join us!

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