Youth future fears UK survey– revealed.
New independent research shows that debt, unemployment and violent crime are the biggest fears for the future for Britain’s youth. (Wednesday 2 April 2008).
The Youth Future Fears UK survey was conducted by Ipsos MORI and commissioned by UK volunteering charity CSV and Tesco as part of the Agents4Change campaign, which recruits young people to take positive action in their communities. The campaign is supported by youth volunteering charity v.
Young people aged 16 – 25 across Britain were asked to rank their biggest fears for the future. (1) The survey also tracks striking trends in different parts of the UK.
The survey reveals:
• Nearly half (48%) see debt as one of their biggest future fears
• 40% are worried about unemployment
• Violent crime is a top concern for 38% of young people
• One in three (30%) are fearful for the challenge presented by global warming
• One in five (20%) are worried about increasing drug use whilst 17% fear an increase in racial tension
• 12% fear obesity, while binge drinking is a concern for 9% of Britain’s youth
• 9% are worried about an increase in sexually transmitted infections
Regional variations include:
• Violent crime is the top concern in London for 37% of young people while debt is only a concern for 22% of those in the capital
• Young people in the North East also fear violent crime the most. 57% list it as a top concern compared to the national average of only 38%
• The region most concerned about debt is the South West with 59% compared to the national average of 48%
• The South West has the ‘greenest’ concerns in the UK. 43% worry about the effects of global warming compared to the average of 30%
Agents4Change is a two year campaign coordinated by volunteering charity CSV with support from Tesco and youth volunteering charity v. It aims to empower over 12,000 people aged between 16 and 25 to get involved in community projects.
Sue Farrington from the Agents4Change campaign says: “Young people have genuine fears for the future but they are not powerless to overcome them. They can help keep our streets safer by mentoring young people at risk of offending, give advice on managing debt by volunteering to teach budgeting and financial skills and help combat global warming by taking part in recycling or conservation projects.”
Tesco director of corporate and legal affairs Lucy Neville-Rolfe says: “It was interesting and a little disturbing to read this survey that suggested young people were so concerned about debt, unemployment and crime.
“Tesco people work in the heart of many communities and are in constant contact with customers and also with local businesses and the police and they see the effects of the issues identified by the survey.
“Getting involved in projects that add something positive to the places we live and work can help young people to develop all sorts of skills, such as team working. Volunteering is a great way to encourage more young people to use and improve their skills and that is why Tesco backs the Agents4Change campaign.”
For more information on the Agents4Change campaign visit: www.comcats.org.uk/agents4change
ENDS
To receive a full breakdown of the results or for further press information contact Olivia Ware on 0207 812 0039 / 07870 689 347 / oware@csv.org.uk Paul Donohoe on 020 7812 0037 / pdonohoe@csv.org.uk or Jason Tanner on 0207 812 0038 / 07941 433598
Notes for editors
(1) Research was conducted by CAPIBUS, Ipsos MORI’s face to face omnibus, interviewing a nationally representative sample of 1,220 people aged 16 – 25 between January 25th and March 8th 2008. Participants were asked to choose their top three concerns from a list of options. Different regions have different base numbers which are available from tables on request.
(2) Agents4Change, a new youth project which aims to empower young people to get involved in community projects, began in July 2007 aimed at giving 16 to 25-year-olds real opportunities to volunteer for the first time at a wide range of events. The project is set up and delivered by CSV (Community Service Volunteers) and is funded by Tesco and youth volunteering charity v.
(3) Tesco has pledged £500,000 over two years to set up Agents4Change. Through v's Match Fund programme, Government funds can be accessed to match that sum giving Agents4Change a £1 million budget to deliver the project. 40 full-time Community Catalysts will be recruited across England, tasked with engaging 12,000 young volunteers over a two-year period. With support from experienced local CSV teams, these volunteers will deliver a wide variety of projects and events across the country.
(4) CSV (Community Service Volunteers) creates opportunities for people to take an active part in the life of their communities through volunteering, training and community action. Last year 227,000 people gave 5 million hours of their time as volunteers through CSV. CSV trains 12,705 people of all ages. www.csv.org.uk
(5) v is the youth volunteering charity launched in May 2006 whose mission is to inspire a new generation of young volunteers in England aged 16-25. v is supported by the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office.