In the difficult transition from youth to adult life, youth policies have traditionally been seen as a heaven, a place in the desert where to rest, rehydrate and prepare for your onward journey. But in times of crisis, the oasis can become a mirage, a sort of intransitive non-place, where the supply of water is evaporated as the effect of austerity policies leading to dehydration of stakeholders - both young people and those who work with them and investigate them. From this metaphor, the goal of this work is to present and discuss the situation of youth policies in Spain, in the climate of austerity and drastic welfare cuts. We carry out this analysis using the parameters of the magic triangle that connects youth policies, youth research and youth work.