Young people are facing a number of challenges- including the pandemic, cost of living, and mental health crisis- that have created a climate unlike any experienced by generations past. Despite this, The Prince’s Trust NatWest 2023 Youth Index, an annual survey of 2,000 young people aged 16-25, reveals that more than two thirds of young people feel determined to achieve their goals in life. It is essential that young people have the space to speak, and be heard, on how these issues affect them and the support that they believe will make a meaningful difference. For those of us in positions of support- be that employer, government, education, or third sector- the task is to listen, and to act based on what we hear.
Last month, the Edge Foundation hosted an event showcasing recent youth voice research, with speakers including Edge themselves, Youth Employment UK (YEUK), City & Guilds, and KCL. Barriers to the labour market, and support that could remove them, ran through the presentations. The Prince’s Trust Natwest 2023 Youth Index found that young people’s wellbeing is at a record low and that for young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) their wellbeing is worse. Taken together, these reports amplify a coherent call from young people: there is more to be done and it needs to be done now.
Young people’s mental health is worsening under a series of pressures
The pandemic exacerbated the youth mental health crisis that has been building over the last decade. NHS figures show that 1 in 6 young people aged 16-25 have a probable mental health disorder, rising to 1 in 4 young people aged 16-17. Concerningly, the Youth Index reveals that more than half of young people think the cost-of-living crisis will have a worse impact on their life than the pandemic. A third of young people said that worrying about money has made their mental health worse, rising to 39 per cent among NEET young people and 45 per cent among those from poorer backgrounds.
YEUK’s Youth Voice Census found that young people are struggling with loneliness, lost social connections during the pandemic and worry about being able to build relationships. Our Youth Index found that the lowest scoring aspects of young people’s confidence were with money and emotional health.
Young people are facing back-to-back crises, with little reprieve. The long-term consequences of isolation have implications for young people’s resilience, during a time when resilience is needed more than ever. Importantly, the impact of these challenges is not felt equally and young people from disadvantaged and marginalised backgrounds are more likely to be affected. As our research shows, young people who are NEET are one of these groups, indicating that supporting young people employment, education, and training is likely part of the solution.
Young people believe that jobs can be a route to improved wellbeing
64% of young people surveyed for the Youth Index say that a good quality, stable job would improve their mental health. However, at the same time, mental health can be a barrier to the very work that would benefit them. YEUK found that 51% of young people looking for work thought their anxiety was the biggest barrier to accessing work.
Successfully moving into employment needs a range of skills, but research by both Edge and YEUK highlighted that young people are concerned they do not have the skills they need to move into the jobs they want, or the opportunities to develop them. Edge’s report found students felt they developed the most employability skills through interacting with their peers- which is concerning in light of YEUK’s findings about young people’s struggles with isolation.
The 2023 Youth Index found that 63% of young people feel scared for their future. Whilst work is only one part of the puzzle, it is an important one as young people seek the stability from work that will allow them to plan for a successful future.
Young people know they can succeed in life, they just need the right practical support
Discussions pointed to potential solutions, building on the recommendations identified through surveying young people. KCL’s research revealed the need to create more resources and time for teachers to develop supportive relationships with students, as well as for schools to create an environment that is more supportive of diversity. City and Guilds’ research highlighted a need for improved work experience in the areas that young people are interested in, better skills development, and improved mentoring.
The Prince’s Trust runs programmes aimed at supporting young people into employment, education, and training. We understand the value of personal development and mentoring as a part of this – particularly in building confidence for those young people who have little experience in the workplace or low levels of qualification.
Without a doubt, collaboration between educators, employers, government, and the third sector is essential to support young people to thrive. This collaboration must also include young people, who are experts in their own experience and, when given the opportunity to participate, are eager and capable to feed into decision making.
Charlotte Jeffreys is a Policy & Public Affairs Executive at The Prince's Trust