KETTERING, UK. September 25th, 2024 – The latest Youth Voice Census results have highlighted the influence of anxiety, discrimination, and economic pressures on the futures of young people.
Over 5,000 young people in the UK, aged 11-30, completed the annual Youth Voice Census in 2024. This census is a deep dive into how young people in the UK feel about their lives, education and work experiences.
The report found that mental health is in crisis. Anxiety is at an all-time high, with 60% of young people reporting feelings of anxiety. Fear of falling behind in skills and opportunities exacerbates the mental health crisis, with anxiety now a top barrier to employment for 40% of respondents.
Alarming rates of bullying, discrimination and harassment persist, with 47% of those in education and 17% of young workers reporting personal experiences. Over 35% of young people cited discrimination as one of their top concerns for the country. Those with additional needs are sadly facing heightened discrimination and exclusion.
Economic worries and financial pressures also significantly impact young people’s decisions regarding education, training, and employment. 1 in 10 have skipped education due to financial constraints, while 72% of university students consider money-related issues a major source of stress.
Contributing to a sense of isolation is the limited access to enrichment and extracurricular activities. The biggest inequality in opportunities is for Black, African, Black British or Caribbean respondents, care experienced respondents, young people with additional needs, and those eligible for free school meals.
The report discovered that confidence in employment has also fallen, with only 26% of young people in education reported being confident about their skills and employment prospects.
Founder of Youth Employment UK, Laura-Jane Rawlings, MBE, DL, said: “Young people are feeling less positive about their future this year, with only 10% believing they can access quality work where they live. On top of this, they are being forced to compromise on safety, quality, cost or location to access education, training and employment opportunities. The sense of unfairness is being felt by all young people, whoever and wherever they are.
“Young people tell us that they don’t want to feel like this and actually would love nothing more than to have access to good opportunities; they just do not believe those opportunities exist for them.”
As experts in the youth employment landscape, Youth Employment UK recommends that access to youth provision is expanded. Local opportunities for enrichment and volunteering are vital for building confidence and resilience.
Support systems should also be improved. Key transition points are when young people need the most support. Reducing barriers to mental health services, housing support and financial aid is vital during these stages.
Youth Employment UK also recommends building a hyper-local young person’s guarantee by creating quality training, apprenticeship, and employment opportunities at the local level, and removing barriers such as transportation costs.
Finally, employer engagement should be encouraged and employers should be encouraged to adopt the Good Youth Employment Standards, ensuring young people have access to quality work opportunities that foster development.
The full Youth Voice Census report can be downloaded on the Youth Employment UK website.
ENDS