YoungPeoplefromvocationaldreamstopragmatism.doc

Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro Departamento de Economia e Sociologia Young People:from vocational dreams to pragmatism Policies and Young People in Rural Development National Report, Santa Marta de Penagui?o Study Area, Portugal José Portela Chris Gerry Patrícia António Carlos Marques Vasco Rebelo July 2000 Table of Contents Chapter 1 Theory and methodology 1 1.1 Research context, aims, and main concepts 1 1.2. Methodology: the interview experience, sample profile and data analysis 2 1.2.1 The interview experience 3 1.2.2 The sample of SMP youth interviewed: profile and sample limitations... 11 1.2.3 Data analysis 13 1.3 The report strucure and the problems of a “double translation” 15 Chapter 2 Santa Marta de Penagui?o: from the regional to the local context 17 2.1 Geography and transports: a sense of remoteness and duality 17 2.2 Demography, housing and interdependency of household members 22 2.3 Education and training systems: poor performance 27 2.4 Economy, employment and clientelism 32 2.5. Social welfare: scanty pensions and grants that barely alleviate poverty 34 2.6 Purchasing power and cultural services: paucity is the rule 37 2.7 Politics: local participation and duality 39 Chapter 3 Santa Marta de Penagui?o: six local paradoxes 41 3.1 Paradox one: the ubiquitous vineyard versus the generalised rejection of farm employment 41 3.2 Paradox two: education is praised but a large proportion of youngsters leave prematurely the school 45 3.3 Paradox three: completing one’s education is generally seen as a prime means of finding satisfactory employment, yet youth in SMP tend to have reservations about returning to school 54 3.4 Paradox four: in their transition to adulthood, the SMP youngsters benefit much more from the “local” support than from the state apparatus and the market 60 3.5 Paradox five: relatively high youth participation in social and political life versus official ignorance of their ideas, aspirations an