The Prince's Trust YouGov Youth Index 2010
Posted 4th January 2010 10:06am by Alison Duguid
Unemployed young people could face a lifetime of poorer health and lower happiness, warns a report published by The Prince's Trust.
The Prince’s Trust YouGov Youth Index reveals that those out of work are significantly less happy with their health, friendships and family life than those in work. One in ten young people (11 per cent) claim that unemployment drove them to drugs or alcohol.
According to the report, based on interviews with 2,088 16-to-25-year-olds, unemployed young people are also more likely to feel ashamed, rejected and unloved more of the time. If trends follow those of previous recessions, these can become permanent psychological scars.
The research comes as The Prince’s Trust announces its new "Undiscovered" campaign, reaching out to a generation of young people whose talents and prospects have been dashed in the recession.
The new campaign calls for Government, businesses and individuals to help the charity raise £1m a week to support unemployed and disadvantaged young people. More than three in four young people on Prince’s Trust schemes move into work, training or education.
Martina Milburn, Chief Executive of The Prince's Trust, comments: "Young people bore the brunt of the recession last year, with one in five 16-to-24-year-olds out of work today. The result is a generation of undiscovered skills and talents. We must invest in these young people, re-building their self-esteem, to ensure that today’s unemployed do not become tomorrow’s unemployable."
This is the second year of The Prince’s Trust YouGov Youth Index. It is the largest poll of its kind.
