It shows that the experience and overall wellbeing of NEET young people is considerably more negative than those in jobs or in education. The data also suggests that longer term unemployed young people may have an even more negative experience.
This year’s report, based on a survey of 16 to 25-year olds, found that even before the coronavirus pandemic the overall wellbeing of young people in this country had dropped to its lowest ever level in the study’s 11-year history.
The report finds that 54 per cent of young people in Northern Ireland “always” or “often” feel stressed, and 28 per cent say that they feel powerless to change their future. Anxiety levels are high, with 45 per cent of young people reporting “always” or “often” feeling anxious.
Mark Dougan, Northern Ireland Director at The Prince’s Trust said: “Our Youth Index has shown the link between unemployment and poor mental wellbeing among young people consistently over the years. These findings are more poignant than ever in the face of the current economic crisis and rising joblessness.
“The events of recent months has meant that young people in Northern Ireland now face a once in a generation unemployment crisis, which will cause lasting damage on their wellbeing and future prospects. If we don’t act now, we risk a ‘lost generation’ of young people destined for long-term joblessness, mental health problems, and poverty.”
The report also demonstrates that many young people find looking for work knocks their confidence, with 57 per cent of young people in Northern Ireland reporting they find job searching demoralising.
Caroline O’Neill, General Manager at L’Oréal Paris says: “The figures in this year’s Youth Index are a reminder to us all of the importance of employment to our mental wellbeing. It is also clear that low self-confidence can hold young people back.
“This is why we passionately believe in building self-worth, alongside skills and training, and we are proud to work with The Prince’s Trust to support thousands of young people with their personal development and confidence.”
The Prince’s Trust helps young people to build their confidence and skills and supports them into jobs, education and training. The charity’s youth support workers are available online from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week, and much of the support they provide is being delivered online and over the phone.
Every week, the Trust conducts wellbeing calls and structured 121 sessions with young people. The charity is also running a range of online confidence workshops in partnership with L’Oréal Paris, having supported over 12,000 young people since 2017.
As part of its response to the coronavirus crisis, The Trust has launched a ‘Get Hired Jobs Board’, which has hundreds of live jobs across a range of different sectors, to match employers with young people who are ready to work now.
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