Ida-Viru County survey finds young people weighing departure

Nearly half of young people in Ida-Viru County plan to leave their home county in search of better education and job opportunities elsewhere, according to an analysis published by ERR. The analysis, led by University of Tartu social scientists Triin Vihalemm, Avo Trumm, Margit Keller, Jaana Toomik and Hans Orru, says a carefully designed package linking vocational education, a first job and access to independent housing could help stem the outflow.

More than 1,200 people took part in a population survey conducted in Ida-Viru County earlier this year to assess residents’ expectations and concerns about the future. The findings provide a representative overview of the region’s mood, the authors said, and confirm that maintaining a sense of normality and strengthening ties with the rest of Estonia remain serious challenges.

Many residents feel that changes in recent years have worsened their everyday lives, reducing their confidence in future opportunities. While public and political debate focuses on ideologies and mayoral positions, local concerns often lie elsewhere. Residents point, for example, to a shortage of dentists and psychiatric care.

The survey also shows that attitudes toward personal efforts and change do not divide Ida-Viru County residents solely along linguistic or ethnic lines. Addressing only one’s own political camp is therefore unlikely to be sufficient, the authors said.

Questions for policymakers

The authors say difficult questions must be addressed both while finalising Estonia’s national plan for the European Union’s next budget period and ahead of the upcoming Riigikogu elections.

They ask how to reach people who are uncertain about staying in their home region and have not yet decided whether to remain or leave. They also call for concrete forms of participation and dialogue that could reduce polarisation and increase trust.

Another question is how to avoid security-policy discussions about Ida-Viru County creating a new “internal outsider” and deepening the divide between “us” and “them”. The authors also ask which decisions and measures could reduce the vulnerability of local life when the region is affected by external shocks.

The analysis focuses on issues that have received less attention alongside jobs, industrial investment and the transition to Estonian-language education. It also puts forward proposals for decision-makers and local community leaders.

The survey found that residents value their home region’s natural and cultural heritage, as well as their relationships with relatives and friends. The greatest obstacle is finding suitable employment opportunities.