The byråd (city council) sent internship and job initiatives for young people to an ideas catalogue by May 2027

On Wednesday, 23 September 2026, Aarhus Byråd adopted the magistrat's recommendation that Borgmesterens Afdeling, in cross-magistrat cooperation, draw up an ideas catalogue for equal access to internships and jobs for young people. The case is returned to Borgmesterens Afdeling; the work must lead to concrete ideas by May 2027, within existing budgets.

Returned to Borgmesterens Afdeling with a note that the byråd at its meeting on 23 September 2026 adopted the magistrat's above recommendation

What this means for you

Young people who lack networks for part-time jobs, internships, or career pathways do not get a new scheme here and now. The byråd has instead given Borgmesterens Afdeling a mandate to map and coordinate existing initiatives across the magistrat departments and gather possible ways forward in an ideas catalogue. Initiatives that can run within current budgets can be described there; activities that require extra funding can, according to the recommendation, be referred to the budget negotiations ahead of Budget 2028.

Background

Radikale Venstre submitted a decision proposal on 3 June 2026 that all young people should have equal access to internships and jobs in Aarhus. The proposers Mahad Yussuf (spokesperson) and Metin Lindved Aydin pointed out that many internship, part-time job, and career opportunities in practice are distributed via personal networks and informal contacts, so young people without strong labour market contacts are placed at a disadvantage — even when motivation and skills are present.

RV wanted, among other things, for Borgmesterens Afdeling to develop models for a municipal internship and career initiative, including the possibilities for a shared internship and part-time job platform, and to explore partnerships with private companies and business organisations on internship placements and career pathways. The target group in the proposal was young people aged 15–25 with limited access to labour market contacts, including young people with weak labour market ties in the family, young people without relevant career networks, or young people living in disadvantaged housing areas.

The byråd sent the proposal for magistrat processing. Borgmesterens Afdeling recommended on 26 August 2026 that the department, in cross-magistrat cooperation, formulate an ideas catalogue that can promote equal access for young people to internships and jobs. The magistrat recommended on 8 September 2026 that the byråd adopt the recommendation; Liv Gro Jensen was unable to take part in the case's processing there.

The recommendation emphasises that initiatives already exist in Børn og Unge, Sociale Forhold og Beskæftigelse, and Borgmesterens Afdeling, but that they are not coordinated systematically. The cross-magistrat work must identify initiatives and target groups and discuss how they can be coordinated and possibly expanded — preferably anchored in an already existing cooperation forum. Among the matters the byråd debate pointed to for further discussion, the recommendation mentions, among other things, experience with social clauses, "Udsyn mod arbejdsliv", Aarhusalliancen, the part-time job initiative, cooperation with Studenterhuset, the question of ethnicity and access, the municipality's own job and internship offers, inspiration from other cities, and attention to inappropriate positive discrimination.

Figures and facts

• Radikale Venstre submitted the decision proposal on 3 June 2026. (Appendix — Recommendation)
• Borgmesterens Afdeling's recommendation is dated 26 August 2026; the cross-magistrat work must lead to concrete ideas by May 2027. (Appendix — Recommendation)
• The magistrat handled the case on 8 September 2026 (item 5) and recommended that the byråd adopt the recommendation. (Minutes — Response to proposal from RV that all young people should have equal access to internships and jobs in Aarhus)
• Costs for the cross-magistrat work are kept within existing budgets; activities requiring additional funding can be referred to the budget negotiations ahead of Budget 2028. (Appendix — Recommendation)
• RV's original proposal set the target group as young people aged 15–25 with limited access to labour market contacts. (Appendix — Appendix 1: Decision proposal RV 23.05.2026)
• Magistrat departments with initiatives in the area that are part of the work are currently Børn og Unge, Sociale Forhold og Beskæftigelse, and Borgmesterens Afdeling. (Appendix — Recommendation)

Who said what

In the byråd chamber on 23 September 2026, several parties backed the recommendation. Hüseyin Arac (S) repeated that a lack of internship and apprentice placements is a real problem for young people who have otherwise done what was expected in school, and that the Social Democrats support the recommendation. Mette Bjerre (SF) called the social skew in access to internships and jobs a major problem for both young people and businesses, thanked them for taking considerations about social clauses on board, and adopted the recommendation.

Gert Bjerregaard (V) supported the recommendation and stressed that an ideas catalogue across the magistrats can map the possibilities. Sarah Jarsbo (EL) thanked them for the proposal, pointed to the role of civil society — including Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke's work on discrimination and equal access — and backed the recommendation. Mahad Yussuf (RV) adopted the recommendation, stressed that the problem is real, and hoped that Radikale Venstre will be involved when the overview is later presented to the udvalg (committee) Økonomi- og Erhvervsudvalget, where the party is not represented. The borgmester (mayor) noted that the case had been adopted.

What happens next

The case is returned to Borgmesterens Afdeling. The department must organise the cross-magistrat work — possibly in already existing forums — and by May 2027 deliver an ideas catalogue with possible, concrete initiatives. The catalogue must distinguish between what can be launched within existing budgets and what requires additional funding via budget proposals ahead of Budget 2028.

Sources

• Minutes — Response to proposal from RV that all young people should have equal access to internships and jobs in Aarhus
• Appendix — Recommendation
• Appendix — Appendix 1: Decision proposal RV 23.05.2026
• Aarhus Kommune meeting documents — the meeting
• Aarhus Kommune

Other appendices

• Appendix — Byråd debate 03.06.2026
• Appendix — Byråd debate 23.09.2026