Saturday 25 July 08:15
- 09:45
Hall: 19 - Room 16 SPT
Chair and Presenter:
Marta Elena
Division: Division 3: Psychology and Societal Development
Rural youth often face distinct challenges—such as limited access to education, employment, and healthcare—that significantly shape their well-being, opportunities, and future aspirations. These constraints intersect with social isolation and infrastructural gaps, placing rural young people at a disadvantage compared to their urban counterparts. Yet many benefit from strong community ties, intergenerational connections, and vibrant cultural traditions, all of which bolster resilience and a sense of belonging. This symposium will examine how territorial, socio-cultural, and developmental factors converge to influence the daily lives and trajectories of rural youth, offering multidisciplinary insights that can inspire practical interventions and collaborative approaches.
The topic is particularly novel and relevant because it addresses the complex interplay of psychological, economic, social, and cultural dimensions affecting rural young people—a group often overshadowed in mainstream youth research. In line with the European Rural Youth Observatory's commitment to research-based knowledge and international collaboration, the symposium aims to foster evidence-driven solutions that empower rural youth across diverse contexts.
Each presenter provides a unique angle on this overarching theme. The first explores the school-to-work transitions of NEET rural adolescents through the Psychology of Working Theory, identifying context-specific personal and structural factors. The second highlights youth participation in Romania, revealing mechanisms that exclude rural youth from decision-making processes and proposing more inclusive policy strategies. The third examines the digital divide in Bulgaria's South-West region, emphasizing "smart village" initiatives that enhance connectivity and educational equity. The fourth focuses on mountain communities in Italy, investigating school dropout rates, work-based learning, and risk/protective factors through a mixed-methods research design. Finally, the fifth centers on well-being in small Italian rural communities, examining how sense of belonging, trust, and mattering shape youth resilience.
Together, these contributions enrich our understanding of rural youth realities, bridging diverse academic fields and offering pathways for empowering young people in peripheral areas across Europe.
