Four in 10 young Scots are worried they will never get a job as a result of the Covid-19 crisis
A generation of young people in Scotland are losing hope as their aspirations fall and fears of future unemployment loom.
A report from the Prince’s Trust, which surveyed 2,000 16 to 25-year olds across the UK, shows that according to respondents from Scotland more than half (61%) of young people are ‘scared’ about being unemployed, and that 40% are worried that they will never be able to get a job.
According to the report, more than a third (37%) of young Scots say their future goals now seem ‘impossible to achieve’ and 34% go as far as to say that they feel they will ‘never succeed in life’.
When young people were asked to think about their plans for the future in terms of education, employment and training, more than a third (36%) say they have abandoned their aspirations for the year ahead, and 44% say their aspirations for the future are lower as a result of the pandemic.
The research also suggests that surveyed young people who are not in education, employment or training are even more likely to have abandoned their ambitions for the year ahead.
Kate Still, director of The Prince’s Trust in Scotland, said: “This week our founder, HRH the Duke of Rothesay announced that The Prince’s Trust has now supported one million young people across the UK. Whilst we are proud of this milestone, it comes amidst a backdrop of economic uncertainty caused by Covid-19. These findings show that the pandemic has done more than disrupt vital education, training and job opportunities for young people across Scotland; it is eroding their confidence in their future prospects, to a point where some feel they won’t ever be able to succeed in life.
“It is the responsibility of us all to ensure the odds don’t stay stacked against this generation, by supporting them to upskill, retrain and gain access to job opportunities. Otherwise, we risk losing their ambition and potential to long-term unemployment, to the detriment of their futures and the recovery of our economy. Government, employers and charities must work together and act now to prevent a lost generation.”
The report comes as The Prince’s Trust marks supporting its millionth young person since it was founded by HRH The Duke of Rothesay in 1976. The charity now looks to help the next million at a time when the deepening jobs crisis is hitting young people the hardest, and when 31% of surveyed young people in Scotland say they have ‘lost hope for the future’.
In Scotland, the trust helped 10,000 young people last year to build the confidence and skills they need to realise their potential. The employability and enterprise courses offered by the trust, give young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives, helping them to develop self-esteem, confidence and skills for work.
Three in four young people on the programmes move into work, education or training.
As part of its response to the coronavirus crisis, the trust has launched a Get Hired Jobs Boardto match employers with young people who are ready to work now, and has established a Coronavirus Support Hub to provide guidance and resources for young people in the challenging times ahead.
