A recent report has found that, in the future, a shrinking generation of young people will have to shoulder greater responsibility in both the economy and society; at the same time, a deepening mental health crisis is holding back young people’s independence, decision-making and participation in society.
Eneli Kindsiko, an expert at the Foresight Centre, a think tank at the Estonian parliament that commissioned the report, said youth had become an increasingly prolonged and uncertain stage of life.
“In the context of an ageing and shrinking population, we are relying more and more on younger generations, but their actual independence is increasingly delayed, depending on their mental resilience, length of education, entry into the labour market and the cost of living,” Kindsiko said. “Young people’s starting points are also becoming increasingly unequal, depending heavily on their family background.”
Studies show that, in general, young people aged 16 and over have the cognitive skills needed to make complex decisions. However, their self-control mechanisms are still not fully developed at that age and, under time pressure or social pressure, young people may fail to make the most carefully considered decisions.
Young people need a safe space to make mistakes
According to Tea Danilov, head of the Foresight Centre, young people need a safe space in which to make mistakes, practise decision-making and take responsibility if their decision-making skills are to develop.
“For example, young people could have more say in decisions at school and in school-related matters, whether it concerns the start time of the school day or the menu in the school cafeteria,” Danilov said.
“Studies confirm that lowering the voting age is both reasonable and necessary, provided that balanced information is available. It could also be possible for young people to engage in business in a simplified form from the age of 15, with their parents’ consent.”
Since taking responsibility also requires young people to have the motivation and courage to act, the report stresses that their voices must be heard both in politics and in wider society. The authors note that young people in Estonia now have more rights, knowledge and opportunities to participate than before, but they have less and less faith that their choices or contributions have any real impact.
Young Estonians are sadder than their neighbours
The report highlights the deterioration of young people’s mental health as a major obstacle to their independence, decision-making and participation in society. Young people in Estonia are significantly more likely to feel sad or depressed than their peers in neighbouring countries.
According to the Estonian Human Development Report 2023, more than a third of girls and a fifth of boys aged 11–15 feel sad or depressed more than once a week. At the same time, access to mental health services in Estonia is uneven and waiting lists are long, meaning young people often do not receive help when they need it.
“If a young person lacks psychological coping skills and a sense of security, they may not be able to take advantage of existing educational, employment or participation opportunities,” Kindsiko said. “As a result, their life decisions are postponed, their options narrow and their dependence on family, school or support systems increases.”
The report also finds that the digital environment and artificial intelligence are increasingly shaping how independent young people actually are. As a result, young people’s ability to understand algorithmically directed information and use it in their own interests is becoming ever more important.
Technology is influencing young people’s self-esteem
The digital environment has become a space where relationships, job opportunities, participation, self-expression and worldviews are shaped. However, access to technology does not necessarily mean real autonomy, or the ability to act consciously in one’s own interests, because young people’s attention, information environment, self-esteem and decisions can be strongly influenced by algorithmic systems.
The report, titled “Youth Independence and Decision-making Authority in Estonia. Trends and Scenarios up to 2050”, was commissioned by the Foresight Centre as part of its research stream, “The Future of Youth Autonomy”.
The aim of the research stream is to map the factors that influence youth autonomy – agency and decision-making power – and to assess how developments in youth autonomy correspond to the various age limits regulating young people’s rights.
The Foresight Centre is a think tank at the Estonian parliament that analyses socio-economic trends and builds future scenarios. It researches a range of topics to anticipate emerging trends and potential disruptions.
