Young job seekers living in Geneva will soon benefit from a new payment to help with essential purchases, officials have confirmed. The one-off benefit is designed to help find young people jobs and give the local council a better insight into the young unemployed living in the largest French-speaking Swiss city.

1.000 Swiss francs offered to young unemployed in Geneva

Officials in Geneva confirmed that young unemployed people in the city will soon benefit from a one-off social payment. Jobseeking 18 to 25-year-olds who aren't in education will be able to apply for a 1.000 franc grant.

The payments are meant to allow for “essential purchases” in order to help applicants find a job. These needs range from buying computers, registering for vocational training or a language course, obtaining a driving licence and even buying clothes to be worn at an interview.

The payment itself will be handled via the youth protection organisation Autonomia. They will help young people submit their applications and direct them to any social services they need. The Youth Department in the city of Geneva hopes to get the system up and running by the end of November 2024.

Payment helps unemployed young people get help

In order to apply for the payment, Youth Department head Stéphanie Pédat explained that "the young person must not already be enrolled in a training course, must have a secondary II diploma at the most and demonstrate a complicated financial situation." 400.000 francs have been set aside to fund the programme.

Department of Social Cohesion advisor Christina Kitsos told the Tribune de Genève that the payment's purpose is twofold: "This way, we offer one-off financial assistance to help them find a job, but it is also a way to get in touch with young people who are in serious trouble."

“It will be possible to identify other issues that concern them, such as possible debts or addictions, for example, or benefits to which they should be entitled, and to support them. It is a way to reach an audience that is far removed from institutions," she argued. 

Financial worries holding young Genevans back, research suggests

According to a study from Haute École de gestion, financial hardship is the third most cited factor impacting young unemployed in Geneva, behind a lack of education and mental and physical health. They predict that the subsidy programme could help around 400 Genevans.

Alongside the new programme, the Department of Social Cohesion announced other measures, such as promoting connections between young people and social workers and building more temporary housing for those who are desperate. They will also be looking into how they can help 12 to 14-year-olds who are struggling.

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