The role of informal social support for young people in unemployment and job insecurity in Italy, Estonia and Germany

This chapter enquires whether the role of informal social support is widespread in Estonia, Germany, and Italy, and whether it is turning into a compensatory mechanism for many economically vulnerable young people. Hence, the chapter investigates the role of family, friends, and social networks in supporting young people as they transition through the labour market across different institutional contexts and welfare regimes. By exploring the functions of social relationships, it provides empirical evidence for the crucial relevance of informal social support during these transitions. Analysing this issue provides a qualified representation of youth vulnerability in relation to new social risks and of how young people overcome job insecurity