New data released from the Youth Employment UK Youth Voice Census 2022 Report indicates that young people are in a state of mental health emergency.
The Youth Voice Census is an annual temperature check on how young people in the UK feel about life, study, work and general prospects. Over 4,000 young people aged 11-30 took part in 2022. This year’s Youth Voice Census findings indicate that young people are struggling more than ever before in the face of seemingly insurmountable barriers to progress and wellbeing.
Young People In The UK Have Spoken
Youth Employment UK’s CEO, Laura-Jane Rawlings, says:
“They say it takes a village to raise a child. This must also mean a village can fail a child. We are all the village, and it’s time to choose our roles.”
Key Census Findings
Mental Health Emergency
- 51% of young people looking for work thought their anxiety was the biggest barrier to accessing work
- 31.2% of young people in work struggle with their wellbeing
- Young people were at least 10% more likely to state that they are ‘not confident’ or ‘not confident at all’ in their self belief and related skills than all other skills
‘Difference’ is a disadvantage
- Young people with protected characteristics, carers and care leavers were around 20% less likely to feel safe in their local community and the most likely to feel ‘very unsafe’ in their local area.
- Only 24% of young people with English as a second language said they felt safe where they lived
- Black, Black African, Black British or Caribbean respondents were over 3 times more likely to say they did not feel welcome in their secondary school.
Continued lack of basic support and career confidence
The Youth Voice Census now has 17 years of cohorts saying they feel unprepared for their futures.
Young people continue to fear that they do not have the adequate work experience, life skills or practical job hunting skills that they need to progress.
- Only 1 in 4 (25.6%) of young people in education stated that they had heard about apprenticeships 5 times or more
- 55% of current apprentices stated that their school, college or sixth form did not help them with the application/recruitment process.
- Less than a third (28.7%) think employers are supportive of hiring young people
- 18.9% of young people required to work from home do not have the space to do so.
Watch The Webinar
Watch the full webinar launch of the Youth Voice Census report held on 6th September 2022.
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Good Youth Employment Symposium 2022
Don’t lose out on best practice insights for onboarding young people who lack career confidence as revealed by the Youth Voice Census.
Young people have revealed in this year’s Youth Voice Census that they’re not sure what skills employers are looking for, and are struggling with career confidence more than ever.
Join leaders and experts at our Good Youth Employment Symposium, Youth Friendly Employer Awards, and 10th Anniversary celebration in Birmingham on 13th December 2022.
Learn how your organisation can be part of the solution. This is your opportunity to hear how we can help move young people into work as they face the current youth employment challenge in 2022 and beyond.
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