Traditional social institutions in Romanian youth policy

Abstract

Youth policy is an important area of the EU social policy. The national specificity of the EU member states allows different models for the implementation of youth policy, corresponding to their history and political culture. The study aims to explore a transition from the universalist model of implementing the Romanian youth policy of the socialist period to a centralised (or Mediterranean) one in which traditional social institutions play a pivotal role, such as family and the Church. The study applies the content analysis and the systemic method. Romania's accession to the EU made the government pay more attention to the youth. The funds for the youth policy were allocated from European integration funds. The government's strategy was to develop education and additional educational services and help children and the youth without parental care and large families. However, the quality of education deteriorated, aid did not reach its recipients, and tactically strategic goals were not achieved. The state youth policy turned out to be ineffective. The Romanian Orthodox Church (RuOC) became involved in solving issues of supporting children and the youth. Together with municipalities, sponsors, foreign philanthropists, the RuOC opens a network of social centers for children of permanent residence, day care, socio-cultural (educational, leisure, sports). The RuOC conducts actions in support of the development of secondary education to prevent dropouts from school, provide clothing and school supplies, study native history, etc. In general, the participation of the RuOC in solving youth problems convincingly indicates that a centralised model for the implementation of youth policy has been formed in Romania.