Young people make up just 14% of the workforce but bore 55% of the job losses during the 2021 lockdowns. The pandemic has compounded the problems of decades of high youth unemployment and underemployment, and the transition between education and employment, especially for those without a safe and secure place to call home. With the help of a generous philanthropic donor, we have been able to distribute $80,000 to 10 organisations responding to the needs of young people.
The past two years have been difficult for young people, and particularly for young people experiencing homelessness or severe disadvantage. Sectors of the economy which employ young people (retail, hospitality, arts, recreation and micro enterprises) were shut down, and education opportunities disrupted, compounding already high unemployment rates for certain cohorts including migrant and refugee communities. As the economy has opened up marginalised young people have been hard hit by rising rents and a return to below poverty line income supports, they need targeted opportunities.
