YOUTH 2020 - The position of young people in Slovenia

Young people, family, and intergenerational mindsets  273 7.4  KEY FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The results of this chapter canbe summarisedby the following key findings: 1. After a decline in the youth population over the last three dec- ades, the proportion of young people in the population is stabilis- ing and is projected to remain at a similar level in the future. On the other hand, the increasing number of older people deepens the importance of issues regarding intergenerational relations. 2. Compared to 2010, young Slovenians leave their parental home much earlier. In the period 2010-2019 the average age of leaving the parental home declined by almost 2 years and is thus much closer to the EU average. 3. In recent decades, the trend of delayedmarriage and of the decision to form a family continued. Similar to leaving the parental home earlier and the increased share of young people opting for parent- hoodwithout gettingmarried, these trends can also be understood as a sign of global individualisation among young people. 4. For all forms of social support, young people most often turn to their informal networks, i.e. parents, partners, and friends. Parents are by far the most important actors in the provision of social sup- port to young people, the most material and financial support, as well as support in the event of illness and when looking for a job. 5. Although the vast majority of young people still count on parental support in all key life situations, these expectations have dropped significantly since 2010. For example, in 2010, 46% of young peo- ple expressed a high level of parental assistance in solving hous- ing problems, while in 2020 this share was only 29%. 6. Young people’s expectations that their parents will help them in the future increase with the family’s self-assessed financial situa- tion and better relationships with parents. Furthermore, unequal family support can increase inequalities among young people.