One in 10 young people (10 per cent) feel they cannot cope with day-to-day life, warns a new report.
The Prince’s Trust Youth Index reveals that young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) are more than twice as likely to feel unable to cope as their peers. (1)
The report – based on interviews with 2,136 16-to-25-year-olds – also shows how more than one in five young people (22 per cent) did not have someone to talk to about their problems while they were growing up.
According to the research, NEET young people are significantly less likely to have had someone to talk to about their problems. (2)
Martina Milburn, chief executive of The Prince’s Trust, said: “A frightening number of unemployed young people feel unable to cope – and it is particularly tough for those who don’t have a support network in place.
“We know at The Prince’s Trust that it is often those from the most vulnerable backgrounds who end up furthest from the job market. Life can become a demoralising downward spiral - from a challenging childhood into life as a jobless adult. But, with the right support, we can help get these lives on track.”
The charity's fifth annual Youth Index – which gauges young people’s wellbeing across a range of areas from family life to physical health – shows how NEETs are significantly less happy across all areas of their lives.
The report reveals that while 27 per cent of young people in work feel down or depressed “always” or “often”, this increases to almost half (48 per cent) among NEETs.
Richard Parish, chief executive of the Royal Society for Public Health, said: “The Youth Index clearly shows a worrying discrepancy between young people who are in work and those who are not. These unemployed young people need support to re-gain their self-worth and, ultimately, get them back in the workplace.
“With recent record-breaking youth unemployment - the work of charities like The Prince’s Trust with vulnerable young people is more critical than ever.”
The Prince's Trust launched additional support for young people with mental health needs on its Team programme four years ago and has been increasing this support year-on-year ever since. More than 8,200 young people to date have benefited from the Working for Wellbeing project, which is funded by Zurich Community Trust.
The Prince’s Trust provides a range of personal development programmes, pre-apprenticeship schemes and mentoring to help young people into jobs. Three in four young people supported by The Prince’s Trust move into work, education or training.
For more information about how to help The Prince’s Trust support more young people visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/youthindex or follow The Trust on Facebook or Twitter www.facebook.com/princes-trust / www.twitter.com/princestrust
To read the full report, please visit www.princes-trust.org.uk/youthindex
