January 2012
Youth Index 2012
Growing up without a daily routine or
structure such as regular bedtimes and set meal times can harm a
young person’s school grades and overall wellbeing, warns The
Trust's new report.
The Prince’s Trust Youth Index reveals how one in ten young
people (10 per cent) feel their days "lacked structure and
direction" while growing up, while those with lower school grades
are more than twice as likely to claim this (26 per cent).
According to the research, which is based on interviews with
2,136 16-to-25-year-olds, more than a quarter of young people (27
per cent) claim they did not have a set bedtime while growing up.
This increases to 39 per cent among those who left school with
fewer than five A*-C grades at GCSE or Standard Grades Level
1-3.
Young people with poorer grades are also twice as likely as
their peers to say they did not have regular meal times (30 per
cent compared with 14 per cent).
The charity's fourth annual Youth Index - which gauges how
content young people are across a range of areas from family life
to physical health - shows a significantly lower index number for
young people who claim to have “lacked structure and direction”
while growing up than for their peers.
Martina Milburn, chief executive of youth charity The Prince’s
Trust, says:
The absence of structure and routine in a young
life can have a devastating impact. Without the right support,
directionless teenagers can become lost young adults – unconfident,
under-qualified and unemployed.
She continues, "Our in-school xl clubs give the hardest-to-reach
young people intense, structured support – helping to prevent
potential drop-outs and exclusions. Similarly, our Fairbridge
programme builds self-esteem through one-to-one support outside the
classroom."
The report, carried out by YouGov, shows how almost a third of
young people (31 per cent) "always" or "often" feels down or
depressed, with this increasing to almost half (48 per cent) among
those with fewer than five A*-C grade GCSEs or Standard Grades
Level 1-3.
One in three of those with lower qualifications (33 per cent)
"always" or "often" feels rejected, compared to around one in five
young people (22 per cent) overall.
Those with poorer qualifications also score a significantly
lower index number than their peers, suggesting they are facing
issues across a range of areas – from their employment to their
relationships with friends and even their health.
Peter Kellner, president of YouGov, said:
The results of the Youth Index over the past
four years can often be linked to larger issues in the wider world.
Last year’s results showed the real-time effect the financial
crisis had on young people and this year the research highlights an
important link between educational attainment and wellbeing.
He continued, "By keeping young people engaged in and out of the
classroom, through the Fairbridge programme, xl clubs and other
schemes, The Prince’s Trust is helping to create a more resilient
generation, equipped with crucial skills for work and life.”
According to the Youth Index, one in five young people (21 per
cent) believe they did not receive the support they needed at
school. This almost doubles to 40 per cent amongst those with
poorer grades.
Consultation
The research marks the launch of The Trust’s largest ever consultation with teachers
and practitioners on The Prince’s Trust website, exploring the
support they need to help the hardest-to-reach pupils. The charity
will be presenting the findings of the consultation to Government
later this year.