The Fragile Age: the (un)sustainable (un)certainty of the most vulnerable young adults

Abstract

The increasing incidence of fragility among young people, particularly the most vulnerable, represents a significant issue that warrants thorough analysis. During the transition to adulthood, young people encounter numerous obstacles in accessing adequate support: dedicated policies and services often lack structured, continuous pathways, resulting in insufficient tools for social and labour market inclusion. This article, drawing on an ongoing INAPP research project, aims to shed light on a context characterised by pronounced vulnerability, which affects the broader community but has especially acute impacts on young people in situations of structural fragility.
The focus is on specific groups of young adults who, due to their circumstances, epitomise the complexity of the phenomenon, serving as a lens through which the system’s critical issues can be examined. In particular, the study examines profiles of youth vulnerability, with a focus on young adults who have experienced incarceration and those leaving care.
The article highlights the challenges these individuals face in achieving social and labour inclusion, while also emphasising the need for institutional and social network interventions to provide more effective and sustainable support.