October 2010
One in three do not feel part of their community
A new
Trust report reveals that one in five young people
feel isolated and one in ten feel like an outcast in their
area.
More than one in three young people (36 per cent) do not feel
part of their community, warns a new Prince's Trust report.
The study of 2,226 16-to-24-year-olds reveals how more than one
in five (22 per cent) feel isolated "most of the time", while one
in ten (11 per cent) feels like an outcast. Almost a third (30 per
cent) do not think there is a future for them in their local
area.
According to the report, more than half of young people (54 per
cent) "rarely" or "never" speak to people over the age of 40 in
their local community; while more than two thirds (68 per cent)
"rarely" or "never" speak to those over 60.
Almost a quarter (23 per cent) feel ignored by older people,
while almost half (46 per cent) think that older people are scared
of young people.
Martina Milburn, chief executive of youth charity The Prince's
Trust says:
It is a tragedy that so many young people feel
separated from the people around them. Being part of a community
and interacting with a mix of people is a crucial part of a young
person's development.
According to young people, crime, unemployment and social class
cause more problems between people in communities than race or
religion.
Thirty per cent of young people think that crime is the cause of
most problems, with unemployment (28 per cent), social class (22
per cent) and level of education (22 per cent) next in line.
The research highlights how young people who are not in
education, employment or training (NEETs) are significantly more
likely to feel isolated, while almost half of young people on
Jobseeker's Allowance (46 per cent) do not feel part of their
community.
More than a third of young people (37 per cent) feel judged on
their family background, while more than two-thirds (69 per cent)
believe those from wealthier families will be more successful in
life.
Martina Milburn adds: "Our research suggests that young people
from disadvantaged backgrounds are less likely to feel part of
their community. This can be a vicious circle - with these young
people feeling even more isolated.
On The Prince's Trust Team programme, we help
young people break the cycle of poverty and unemployment, giving
them a chance to engage with new people and to give back to their
communities.
The report marks the 20th anniversary of The Prince's Trust Team
programme - a 12-week personal development scheme supporting
disadvantaged young people into work. The scheme, which was
launched by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1990, involves young people
carrying out community projects in their local area.
Projects range from renovating care homes for older people to
creating sensory gardens for disabled children. More than three in
four of the 16-to-25-year-olds on the Team programme move into
work, training or education afterwards.
Since 1990, more than 130,000 young people have taken part in
the Team ptogramme, contributing more than 16 million hours of
volunteering work in their local communities. This is estimated to
be worth almost £70 million to society.
Download the full
report
Download the report press release