A new map published by Statistics Finland shows the percentage of marginalized youths (15-29 yrs) by regions. It not only shows a growing problem in this country, but an especially serious one among youths with immigrant backgrounds, who have a much higher chance of being marginalized than white Finns.
A marginalized youth is anyone who is unemployed and not attending school after finishing middle school.
The black boxes are white Finnish youths and the yellow ones youths with immigrant backgrounds. They show what percentage of youths (15-29 yrs) are marginalized from the whole age group.
The highest number of marginalized youths with immigrant backgrounds are n Kainuu (28.8% with immigrant backgrounds versus 3.4% white Finns), Kymenlaakso (26.1%/5.1%), Lappi (24.4%/3.8%), Etelä-Savo (21.7%/3.7%), Pohjois-Karjala (21.3%/3.0%), and Pirkanmaa (21.0%/3.5%).
The lowest percentages can be found in Etelä-Pohjanmaa (12.4%/2.6%), Etelä-Karjala (15.8%/4.1%), Keski-Pohjanmaa (16.0%/2.8%) and Satakunta (16.6%/3.9%)
What do these percentages tell us? In my opinion, they show that we have failed miserably to integrate and accept people with immigrant backgrounds as equal members of our society.
How many of these marginalized youths with immigrant backgrounds have lived the majority of their formative years in Finland? Why do some, after living most of their lives in this country, still feel like outsiders?
While being marginalized is a complex matter that is attributable to many factors, probably the first step in becoming part of this underclass is accepting that you do not belong here. You start to believe that Finland is a country made only for white Finns.
If there is a neglected underclass in Finland, they are the youths with immigrant backgrounds!
Further reading:
Being an immigrant in Finland. A letter from Fiona
Being an immigrant in Finland – a letter from Ida
Somali-Finn Abdulah: Living in no-man’s land (Part I)
Somali-Finn Abdulah: Living in no-man’s lang (Part 2)
Thank you Mahmoud Machaal for the heads-up.