Study: Young People Worried about Education, Employment, Democracy

Study: Young People Worried about Education, Employment, Democracy

Young people all over the world are seriously concerned about the state of politics and education. That information comes from a survey by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD.

The study looked at 151 youth organizations from 72 countries. It centered on young people aged¹ 15 to 29.

The researchers noted² that people between those ages have lived through two worldwide crises — the 2008 financial collapse³ and the coronavirus pandemic. OECD researchers say it is important to learn the effects of the pandemic on younger people. The pandemic, they said, has "affected⁴ different age groups differently and...its repercussions⁶ will be felt by many for decades to come..."

Youth organizations were asked to identify three areas in which young people were finding it most difficult to deal with the effects of COVID-19. The top answers were mental health, education and employment. Other areas of concern were personal relationships, personal wealth and limits on individual freedom.

The researchers said the pandemic's long-term effects on education "remain to be fully⁷ observed." The study added that the crisis has greatly "reduced international student mobility⁸," widened educational differences across different populations and increased the risk of students ending their education.

An OECD study released this year found that, on average, 6 percent of 15- to 19-year-olds in OECD countries were not involved in employment, education or job training in 2020.

In poorer countries like Colombia and Brazil, at least 20 percent of young people were not involved in employment, education or training.

The effects of the crisis have been more severe, the study said, for "young women, young people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds, young people not in employment, education or training ... and other young people in vulnerable circumstances," the study said.

Several countries have increased educational spending and sought to improve the lives of vulnerable groups.

Canada's government, for example, provided money to help native groups complete secondary school. The country also introduced more childcare support for young women in an effort to close the wage difference between men and women.

Sweden extended the time for which young immigrants studying in upper secondary education must find a job after graduation from 6 to 12 months. There, immigrants are required to have a job upon graduation to get residency.

France, Belgium and Estonia have started new programs and trainings for young people out of education and the workforce⁹ to build new skills. Overall, just three out of 32 OECD member countries studied by the researchers — Iceland, Japan and Luxembourg — did not target young people as part of their recovery plans.

Even with such efforts, young people's trust in government has decreased since the pandemic started. Of all countries taking part in the study, 37 percent of youth organizations say their trust in government has decreased. They also reported low levels of approval for government services like healthcare, housing and education. Thirty-four percent of youth organizations surveyed also say they are less satisfied with democracy.

Many countries looked to build trust with young people by partnering with youth organizations in planning recovery measures. Australia invited youth organizations to comment on the government's budget goals. Estonia listed the National Youth Council as an important partner in the creation of its recovery plan. Mexico questioned 20,000 of its young citizens on issues like education, employment, health and violence to inform policy measures.

When "governments communicate proactively," the researchers said, "they can generate citizen buy-in and engagement, including among young people."

Words in This Story

survey — n. an activity in which many people are asked a question or a series of questions in order to gather information about what most people do or think about something

youth— n. young people

repercussion⁵ — n. something usually bad or unpleasant that happens as a result of an action, statement, etc., and that usually affects people for a long time

mobility — n. the ability or tendency to move from one position or situation to another usually better one

disadvantage — n. something that makes someone or something worse or less likely to succeed than others

vulnerable — adj. easily hurt or harmed physically¹⁰, mentally, or emotionally

circumstance — n. a condition or fact that affects a situation

resident — n. someone who lives in a particular place

proactive — adj. controlling a situation by making things happen or by preparing for possible future problems

engagement — n. the act or state of being involved with something

1 aged   

adj.年老的，陈年的

参考例句：

• He had put on weight and aged a little.他胖了，也老点了。
• He is aged,but his memory is still good.他已年老，然而记忆力还好。

2 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

3 collapse   

vi.累倒；昏倒；倒塌；塌陷

参考例句：

• The country's economy is on the verge of collapse.国家的经济已到了崩溃的边缘。
• The engineer made a complete diagnosis of the bridge's collapse.工程师对桥的倒塌做了一次彻底的调查分析。

4 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

5 repercussion   

n.[常pl.](不良的)影响，反响，后果

参考例句：

• After being put out,service has received very good market repercussion.服务推出后收到了非常好的市场反响。
• The president's death had unexpected repercussion.总统的逝世引起出乎意料的反响。

6 repercussions   

n.后果，反响( repercussion的名词复数 )；余波

参考例句：

• The collapse of the company will have repercussions for the whole industry. 这家公司的垮台将会给整个行业造成间接的负面影响。
• Human acts have repercussions far beyond the frontiers of the human world. 人类行为所产生的影响远远超出人类世界的范围。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

8 mobility   

n.可动性，变动性，情感不定

参考例句：

• The difference in regional house prices acts as an obstacle to mobility of labour.不同地区房价的差异阻碍了劳动力的流动。
• Mobility is very important in guerrilla warfare.机动性在游击战中至关重要。

9 workforce   

n.劳动大军，劳动力

参考例句：

• A large part of the workforce is employed in agriculture.劳动人口中一大部分受雇于农业。
• A quarter of the local workforce is unemployed.本地劳动力中有四分之一失业。

10 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。