New data released from the Youth Employment UK Youth Voice Census Report for 2021 tells a story of mismatch and disconnect from young people across the UK.
Young People In The UK Have Spoken
The Youth Voice Census captured data from 14 – 24 year olds across the UK earlier this year. Over 3,400 young people shared their views on a range of issues across education, work, job hunting, the impacts of COVID-19 and much more.
Youth Employment UK’s CEO, Laura-Jane Rawlings, says:
“The findings tell us loud and clear that we can not stand by and let these issues continue; if we do not collectively take swift action to improve the services and connectivity for young people, our nation will sleepwalk into a disaster.”
Key Census Findings
1. Growing Mental Health Concerns
- Anxiety, depression and mental health concerns were in the top 5 responses for young people in education, looking for work and in work when asked about their barriers.
- The level of disruption for young people has been high with 66.4% of those in education said learning was disrupted ‘A Lot’ or ‘A Great Deal’; and 40.5% of those in work stating that their work had been disrupted ‘A Lot’ or ‘A Great Deal’.
- Those looking for work were hardest hit with 56.2% of young people stating that coronavirus had impacted their mental health ‘A Lot’ or ‘A Great Deal’, and 42.1% of young people reported that their motivation to apply for opportunities had been impacted ‘A Lot’ or ‘A Great Deal.’
2. Catching Up
- Whilst young people have remained adaptable they have missed out on key moments that help them establish who they are, where they are, what skills they have and what their next steps should be.
- 42.7% of young people in secondary school and, 43% of those in college had access to a careers advisor.
- Access to careers support has plummeted in university this year, with half of students not accessing any support.
3. Accessing Quality Work
- 9.9% of young people are confident they will be able to find quality work where they live.
- 25.9% of your people think employers are supportive of hiring young people.
4. No Space For Young People
- 81.9% of young people don’t think there are enough opportunities to share their views on important issues in their area.
- 27.3% of young people do not have a quiet place to do their school work; and 67% share their device with more than one other person.
Insights From Our Sponsors
This year’s Youth Voice Census sponsors are Amazing Apprenticeships, The Edge Foundation and Pearson.
The Edge Foundation’s Executive Director, Olly Newton, says:
“Understanding the views of young people is a critical part of our mission to make education relevant, so we were delighted to collaborate with colleagues at Youth Employment UK on this year’s Youth Voice Census.
This has been a particularly challenging couple of years for young people in every aspect of their lives. As the labour market rapidly changes, it is essential that they have the chance to understand the skills they will need to succeed.So it’s a real worry that just a third of young people in school feel they understand these skills and less than 10% are confident about finding quality work. But it’s not a surprise. It’s not even a new phenomenon as a result of the pandemic, although that has of course accelerated the challenge.The truth is that current education policy is old fashioned and narrow, constraining hard working teachers to focus on traditional subjects and teaching to the test for written exams that rely on knowledge recall, with insufficient priority given to high quality vocational education.
Young people and businesses alike are crying out for change – a broader range of subjects, high quality technical and professional options, embedded careers guidance and regular engagement with employers, a real focus on developing employability skills like team working and problem solving, and looking to the future to bring digital and green issues to life.
It’s time to listen to young people’s voices and make education relevant for their futures.”
Amazing Apprenticeship’s Director, Anna Morrison, CBE, says:
“This incredible Youth Voice Census report by Youth Employment UK shows yet another significant shift for our young people and the careers support that they receive.
Whilst it is a remarkable achievement that nearly 86% of young people state that they have had apprenticeships discussed with them as an option, there is clearly more work to be done to ensure that all vocational options are being discussed. Not enough young people feel they are being supported when applying for apprenticeships (19%) and only 1 in 10 young people feel confident that they will be able to find quality work local to where they live.
This report also serves us with an important reminder that the mental health and wellbeing impacts are still being felt by many young people, and we have a collective responsibility to do more to ensure that the appropriate local support is reaching those who need it most.”
Pearson’s Acting SVP of BTEC and Apprenticeships, Claire Rogers says:
“It goes without saying that the enormous disruption of the last eighteen months has had a huge impact on young people. We have been so impressed throughout the pandemic by the amazing resilience and commitment we have seen from young learners – not least those that completed A levels, GCSEs and BTECs this summer, and were able to move on to their next steps in education or employment.
That’s why Pearson is proud to support the Youth Voice Census this year. It provides hugely valuable insights into how young people view education, employment and training, helping us to shape the resources and support we are able to offer young people to support them in their career paths.
It comes as no surprise that the results of the census show just how difficult the impact of covid-19 has been on those in education, with both physical limitations like lacking a quiet study place or having their own device to work from, and the impact on mental health which has also affected their ability to study.
A less well documented impact has been the disruption to careers advice support. The census shows us how much young people value careers guidance and that there is a huge appetite for opportunities like work experience programmes and career fairs. With young people most affected by unemployment due to the pandemic, it is more important than ever to make sure that careers guidance is available, and that young people receive the support they need to choose the right options for them.
A large percentage of young people reported that vocational routes were never discussed with them. The pandemic shone a spotlight on our key workers, many of whom entered their careers through vocational education. It’s vital that young people hear about all the different options available to them and get the support they need to apply for apprenticeships and vocational pathways.
There will doubtless be more challenges ahead in the coming months, but as we start to re-open and return to a ‘new normal’, we in the education sector can make sure we listen and use the findings of the Youth Voice Census as a useful tool to help us provide the best support for our young people”.
Notes for Editors
- The Youth Voice Census was open from 29th March 2021 – 1st June 2021; a report of the findings can be downloaded from www.youthemployment.org.uk/youth-voice-census.
- Youth Employment UK is an independent, not for profit social enterprise founded in 2012 to tackle youth unemployment. As experts on youth employment and unemployment, we are ideally placed to understand the complex landscape facing young people, educators, employers and policy makers.
- The Youth Voice Census has been made possible with the support of Amazing Apprenticeships, The Edge Foundation and Pearson.
Press enquiries should be directed to: atim@youthemployment.org.uk
