On April 24 at the Informal meeting of Ministers for Employment and Social Affairs in Denmark, Social Platform will exchange with Ministers on social services under pressure and youth and employment.

On social services under pressure our main recommendations are:

• Social and health services are not a cost but an investment for better cohesion in society. The focus should shift from cutting costs to measuring social and financial returns on investments. Do not cut budgets devoted to social and care services, especially in times of crisis when demands for support rise.
• Promote a partnership approach among public authorities and all relevant stakeholders, in the design, development, delivery and evaluation of social services, to ensure a multidimensional approach.
• Assess regularly the quality of the services provided, users’ satisfaction, accessibility, affordability etc. Make user participation and empowerment essential elements to improve the quality of services, as social and health care are better tailored to individuals’ needs and expectations.
• Ensure that the next Multi-Annual Financial Framework provides sufficient funds for supporting quality social and health services and to promote innovation in the sector. Use in a more strategic way EU money to achieve the social targets of the Europe 2020 strategy.

To achieve the sustainable inclusion of youth in education, society and employment and the effective implementation of the Youth Guarantee we call on member states to:

• Establish an inclusive education system that provides for the specific requirements of today’s diverse youth and guarantees equal access to quality education and training without distinction of cultural and social origin;
• Ensure that all young people - especially those who are neither in employment, nor education and training - have appropriate means to be socially included; and
• Ensure that 75% of young people available on the labour market are employed, in line with the employment target and guidelines of the Europe 2020 strategy.