Unemployment and Youth

Publisher:  Youth Employment Lobby, Toronto, Canada
Year Published:  1979
Pages:  23   Resource Type:  Article
Cx Number:  CX1037

A group that dispells myths about youth and unemployment and promotes government cooperation in creating skilled jobs for youth.

Abstract: 
Unemployment and Youth is a policy statement from a group of social service people who are attempting to combat some of the myths about unemployed youth and who are making recommendations to the three levels of government regarding what to do about the problem.

The statement cites research studies which indicate that young people have traditional attitudes about work: they do want to work--at a career, not just a short-term job; there is a shortage of skilled job opportunities not an oversupply of labour; and unemployment is not a disinsentive to work.

Some misconceptions about unemployment: MYTH: the governments spends a lot of money on make work programs for youth. Is this not enough? REALITY: The majority of the job creation programs are short term jobs aimed at only a small percentage of students. They do not meet the needs of young people who are not in school. MYTH: Youth prefer to collect unemployment insurance rather than work. FACT: Youth in Toronto aged 15-24 represent 43.2% of the unemployed. They are only 18% of the UIC claimants. MYTH:
Young people today are over-educated and have too high an expectation as to what work they will do. FACT: There are highly trained people in the labour force who cannot find jobs using their skills. There is an undersupply of needed skilled jobs, not an oversupply of skilled workers.

The statement concludes that responding to youth unemployment requires a comprehensive approach; a multi-faceted, coordinated and focused solution is needed. Several recommendations are made to the three levels of government: more and better job creation programs and training, retention of jobs in Canada, and better local and national program co-ordination.

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