Blogs

"The Macquarie Youth Index report from the Prince's Trust makes shocking reading, but doesn't really tell us anything we didn't already know. What is different today is that the media has actually picked it up. The fact that 21 per cent of unemployed young people feel that their life is not worth living should give us all pause for thought. We have had the normal hand washing from the DWP telling us how successful the Youth Contract is, as if that is a reason not to be concerned. Rather like the constant mantra about record numbers in work (numbers that are totally irrelevant in a growing population) these fine words butter no parsnips. It is worth remembering that high youth unemployment is not new. What is often missing is the meaningful voice of young people themselves. When do we ever seriously listen to those who have been failed by the system? This is why I am arguing for a national Youth Summit to ensure that we hear the voices of those young people and the organisations who work with them." Linda Jack on the danger of a lost generation.