Today, about 170,000 young people are staying at home instead of going to school or work. Not because they want to, but because, for various reasons, they have become marginalized. In collaboration with the City of Umeå, researcher Frida Jonsson is working to determine how various support programs can help young people improve their lives.
“We need more information. Especially now, during the pandemic, when the number of people in this group is likely to increase,” says Katarina Hansson, deputy director of the Coordination Association.
To prevent young people who stay at home from becoming trapped in long-term social isolation, several municipalities in Sweden are implementing various support initiatives. One such initiative is Hikikomori in Umeå. The program is aimed at 16- to 25-year-olds who are neither working nor studying, have no contact with government agencies, and want to change their situation.
“Many people lead sedentary lifestyles and have developed various health issues. It’s difficult to discuss education with them, since school has often been a deciding factor. The step to the Employment Service, in turn, is far too big. They want to be like ‘everyone else’ and make it on their own, but they need support so they don’t fall through the cracks,” explains Katarina Hansson.
Meets each individual where it works best
The Coordination Association and the City of Umeå launched Hikikomori back in 2012 in an effort to break young people’s involuntary isolation at an early stage, promote their health, and encourage physical activity. To keep the barrier to entry low, staff meet each individual where it suits them best—at home, outdoors, via social media, text message, or in Hikikomori’s own home-like facilities at KFUM in central Umeå. Based on the person’s own goals, current situation, and needs, they then work together to develop a plan for the future.
“We’ve seen the incredible progress these young people can make when they feel safe and valued, and are given the right conditions and time. From not even having the energy to step outside their door to getting to know others in the same situation, trying out different group activities, and eventually even starting to study, look for an internship, or find a job.” But it’s not always easy to pinpoint exactly what the key is, says Katarina Hansson.
There is a lack of research on what works and why
Since initiatives of this kind have rarely been evaluated, there is still a lack of valuable knowledge about how they actually work and why. This makes it difficult to develop support for a vulnerable group of young people whose challenges and needs can vary greatly.
“Even though we’ve gathered a wealth of experience and accounts of progress, research is needed to establish a factual basis. That’s the missing piece of the puzzle. It’s necessary both to lend legitimacy to support initiatives like Hikikomori and to ground the work being done in a shared knowledge base,” explains Katarina Hansson.
Fills a gap in the social safety net
One person who wants to contribute scientific knowledge in this area is Frida Jonsson, a researcher at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health at Umeå University. Her desire to somehow improve conditions for this group of young people was sparked by a previous research project in which she met with young people who were staying at home in the inland region of Norrland. The young people described how they struggled to get help from traditional healthcare and social services. When they tried to reach out to adults and institutions, they were often met with either distrust or indifference. Until a municipal initiative like Hikikomori became the turning point. For the first time, they felt that someone was listening. That someone actually cared.
“It was both sad and hopeful at the same time. That’s when I felt I wanted to learn more about these support initiatives and help raise awareness of their importance for young people,” says Frida Jonsson.
Looking at the big picture to find the keys
When Hikikomori reached out to researchers at Umeå University three years ago to raise awareness of the target group and the issue, share their experiences, and get help developing their program, Frida Jonsson jumped at the opportunity. Since they were working toward the same goal and wanted to conduct useful research, they applied for collaboration funding to test their ideas. This marked the beginning of a major collaborative project that was recently awarded funding from the research funding agency Forte.
“From a national and holistic perspective, we will now study how municipal support programs like Hikikomori work—and why. Our focus is therefore not solely on helping young people get established or find employment, but also on opportunities for better health, greater self-esteem, and increased well-being,” she says.
Frida Jonsson and her colleagues will first interview program managers and analyze the literature to develop a framework describing how the interventions are intended to work in theory. Through interviews with young people and staff, these assumptions will then be tested and revised to describe how the program works in practice—and to clarify what appears to be particularly important for the work to remain successful. She emphasizes the importance of researchers being flexible and building relationships with the participating young people.
“It would be great if research could also serve as a means of supporting young people, rather than just an end in itself—if the research process could offer value to the participants beyond the final findings,” says Frida Jonsson.
The right support benefits both individuals and society
The entire project is characterized by shared interest and mutual benefit, with the goal of disseminating knowledge that can improve the situation for young people who are far removed from the labor market and the education system. Knowledge that both Katarina and Frida believe is also important for policymakers—especially during the pandemic. Without relevant research to draw upon, it can be difficult to prioritize the right kind of support, and there is a risk that an already vulnerable group will be neglected.
“We don’t know how COVID-19 will affect local governments’ work in terms of opportunities, priorities, and budget cuts. But what we do know is that young people who are stuck at home risk becoming very disconnected from society if we don’t find ways to support them,” says Katarina Hansson.
By investing early in the right kinds of measures, Frida Jonsson and Katarina Hansson believe that significant savings can be achieved, both in terms of reduced personal suffering and for society as a whole.
– Together, we hope to provide a practical toolkit and a platform for sharing knowledge about what works, for whom, and why. Our goal is to help the country’s support initiatives shape their future work in the best possible way and give young people across Sweden better opportunities for a fulfilling life.
Facts: HIKIKOMORI UMEÅ
- Hikikomori was launched in 2012 and is run by the City of Umeå and the Umeå Coordination Association.
- The term "hikikomori" is Japanese and roughly translates to "one who withdraws."
- The program is designed for people who are neither working nor studying, have no contact with public agencies such as the Social Insurance Agency, social services, or the Employment Service, and want to change their situation.
- Based on each individual’s needs and goals, Hikikomori works to boost young people’s self-esteem and quality of life, encourage physical activity, and prevent physical and mental health issues.
- The goal is to facilitate the transition from involuntary isolation to work, education, and self-sufficiency for people aged 16–25 in Umeå and the surrounding area (Bjurholm, Nordmaling, Robertsfors, Vindeln, and Vännäs).
- The support program works closely with Ungdomstorget and its partners (the Swedish Public Employment Service, the Swedish Social Insurance Agency, the City of Umeå, and Region Västerbotten).