Twenty-two-year-old Marcus* had been involved in drugs ever since he’d been at school. He dropped out in year 9 and over time his relationships with family and friends disintegrated. He ended up living in a car, spraying graffiti and getting into trouble with the law.
Marcus realised he was headed down a road that would destroy his life and decided to take action. He tried to give up drugs on this own, but without the support of his friends and family, he became suicidal and depressed.
For Marcus, a happy, fulfilled life with a rewarding job seemed like an impossible dream.
Australia may be showing signs of emerging from the effects of the global financial crisis, but for one group of Australians, those like Marcus aged 15 to 24, the challenges continue to grow.
With youth unemployment rising Marcus’ story is an increasingly familiar one in Australia. For many young people who face the quest to secure a job it’s getting even further out of reach. In December 2009, the unemployment rate for teenagers was 16.2%^. This is a sharp increase on the same period in 2008 and nearly three times higher than the unemployment rate across the whole population^.
It’s especially worrying that the rise in teenagers not engaged in full-time education or full-time work since 2008 is a reversal of a previous downward trend.
Estimates for 2008 indicated that after a decade in which the number of teenagers doing traineeships and apprenticeships increased every year, this trend has now halted.
Why is this a problem? For three reasons:First, history has shown that the most vulnerable people suffer the harshest and longest effects of economic downturn, with high levels of unemployment.
Second, because of their lack of qualifications or work experience, young people are at risk of becoming long-term unemployed. This can lead to intergenerational disadvantage with long-term economic and social consequences.
Third, with people living longer and the number of people of traditional working age (15-64) decreasing, Australia simply cannot afford to have the current and next generation of young people unengaged and unproductive.
Why is this happening?Our society places a lot of importance on career, employment and money. When young people are unable to participate in the workforce, especially at an age when much of their own identity is being formed, the consequences can be particularly damaging. Confidence, security and a sense of belonging can be destroyed in a matter of months.
Many are already grappling with substance abuse, mental health issues, risk of self harm, homelessness, low literacy, a history of sexual or physical abuse and lack of residential living skills.
When these young people turn to agencies for help, they are often met with a confusing and daunting array of services and processes.
“The way Australia delivers employment and related services to these at-risk people at present is often complex and fragmented,” says Mission Australia CEO Toby Hall.
“Without enhancing our efforts we will find ourselves with a large pool of untrained and unemployed young people with insufficient education to contribute fully to Australian society – a lost generation.”
The solutionWhat can be done? Mission Australia believes the primary focus of service providers must be to prevent youth unemployment in the first instance by offering holistic support.
In situations where prevention fails we must ensure there is a timely, targeted and tailored response for each young person to ensure that unemployment does not become entrenched.
Any framework must obviously include a focus on the young people who are most vulnerable – those currently not engaged in education, employment or training. That translates to around 300,000^^ 15 to 24-year-olds and we expect another 50,000 by July 2010^^^.
Mission Australia, as a non denominational Christian not-for-profit is well placed to work in communities with high numbers of unemployed youth across the country. We can join with smaller grassroots organisations, employers, local governments and schools to develop collaborative plans to keep young people in education or identify job opportunities.
“We need to get away from prescriptive and bureaucratic approaches to youth employment and instead support and measure the success of local initiatives based on their outcomes,” explains Toby.
“The government has already hinted at something similar with its $200 million Get Communities Working package but we need something that has a stronger youth focus.”
Australia should build a national mentoring strategy into its youth agenda. Mission Australia has good evidence about what works and how mentoring can play an important role in promoting the wellbeing of young people – particularly those who are struggling.
Mission Australia believes the primary focus of service providers must be to prevent youth unemployment in the first instance by offering holistic support.
Mission Australia continues to provide, refine and expand its programs dedicated to education and providing pathways to full-time employment.
These include:
- 13 programs providing career advice and work experience to get young people who had been unemployed for over 12 months into paid work.
- 8 services providing one-on-one support to people who left school prematurely as a result of family conflict, bullying, learning disabilities or mental health issues.
- 5 mentoring programs targeted at youth at risk of leaving school.
- 16 programs providing training which assists young people to re-engage in education, additional training courses or employment.
Ultimately, the upward trend in the rate of young unemployed Australians could herald a worsening crisis. With resolve and sensible coordination of policy and effort, Australia can give many more of them the future they deserve.
* Name and image have been changed to protect the identity of the client^ ABS Labour Force, December 2009^^ The Hon Julia Gillard MP. RMIT speech. March 2009^^^ The Hon Julia Gillard MP. Address to the Sydney Institute. 19 February 2009
