Young people face many obstacles that make their journey towards autonomy more difficult and longer and reduce their ability to act in the society. The social inclusion is even more difficult for young people with less opportunity (in French, jeunes avec moins d'opportunités - JAMO), from underprivileged backgrounds, or with few or no qualifications.

The period of youth is a time of transition toward autonomy, notably through professional integration and the progression into adulthood, which also involves access to rights: housing, empowerment in administrative procedures, and financial independence. This access to autonomy is perceived as a social norm to be achieved, which can also have an impact on young people’s mental health.

Source : Dubéchot, P. (2015) 'L'autonomie comme norme attendue, mais une indépendance impossible'. Vie sociale, no. 12, pp.11-28).

Social action policies dedicated to young people aim at facilitating vocational integration, improving living conditions and reducing social disparities between young people. They rely on joint work between public authorities (State and local authorities), which, among other things, elaborate and regulate policies and the association sector which both implements social policies but also performs mediation functions between the publics (young people), schemes and social action structures.