One third of youth feel their lives have spiralled out of control due to Covid: Study

According to a study, more than a third of young people feel their lives are out of control due to the Covid pandemic, reported the Guardian. Additionally, the findings also indicated that more than 60% of young people between the ages of 16-25 years said that they are sacred for their generation’s future. 

A report by the  Prince’s Trust Class of Covid research released its findings to the local media ahead of a nationwide campaign set to be launched in the United Kingdom this week to highlight the pandemic’s long-term impact on the younger generation. The findings were based on the data collected from more than 2,000 young people across the UK. 

“Young people today are facing unique challenges which threaten the futures and aspirations of an entire generation if we don’t act,” said the charity’s UK chief executive, Jonathan Townsend to the Guardian. According to him, for young people “their education, employment and key formative years have already suffered, leaving many feeling uncertain and scared about a future which appears to be spiralling out of their control.”

He added these fears are despite high vacancies as “young people remain worried about their future career prospects”. The study also shows that at least half of those surveyed indicated that living through the pandemic has made them more resilient. Meanwhile, more than half of them said they are more determined to pursue their goals than before, said the report. 

According to Townsend, “young people have shown a unique resilience to overcome the challenges they faced and are more determined than ever to achieve their goals.” However, they need support to ensure their talent and aspirations do not go to waste, he added. 

Another study that surveyed 16-19-year-olds also showed evidence of widespread “retarded development” among young people, due to missing major developmental milestones during the pandemic. The Savanta State of the Youth Nation report also showed how the pandemic has given rise to a new era of uncertainty and lack of confidence. 

This particular study is by the UK’s largest youth research panel which has asked the same set of questions to 1,000 young people for the past 7 years. Therefore, they have drawn comparisons to understand the far-reaching consequences and the impact of the loss of confidence during the 2 years. They included milestones like first kiss, first romantic relationship, new jobs and workplace, and so on. 

At least 60% of young people who were living alone during the pandemic said that they lack confidence in their decision-making. This is in comparison to the 40% before the pandemic. Similarly, those who lived with their parents experienced a slight dip in their confidence with 47% saying they could make up their minds when compared to the 52% prior to the pandemic. 

The effect was also seen in young people who experienced disruptions in starting work or who had to work from home and reportedly said that they were confused about what to expect from their jobs. The study indicated before the pandemic at least 68% of young people felt work was what they expected, but this figure fell down to 49% after the pandemic.