One in ten young adults can’t cope with day-to-day life, claims charity

ABOUT one in ten young people feels unable to cope with day-to-day life, a leading charity has claimed.

ABOUT one in ten young people feels unable to cope with day-to-day life, a leading charity has claimed.

A survey found 9 per cent of 16-25-year-olds struggle with life, the Prince’s Trust said.

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Those not in employment, education or training (Neets) are more likely to feel this way.

A third of young people in Scotland feel down or depressed either always or often, the Prince’s Trust Youth Index also found.

Meanwhile, 28 per cent of young people believe their prospects have been permanently damaged by the recession, while 21 per cent feel they have no 
future as a result of the economic crisis. Those who are Neets are more likely affected by these concerns.

The survey interviewed 2,136 young people, including 116 in Scotland.

Heather Gray, director of the Prince’s Trust Scotland, said: “A frightening number of unemployed young people in Scotland feel unable to cope, and it is particularly tough for those who don’t have a support network in place.

“We know at the Prince’s Trust that it is often those from the most vulnerable backgrounds who end up furthest from the job market. Life can become a demoralising downward spiral: from a challenging childhood into life as a jobless adult.”

But with the right support it is possible to “get these lives on track”, she said.

Jen Dott, 23, from Garthamlock in Glasgow, set up a dog- grooming business with the help of the Prince’s Trust and is now looking to take on staff.

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Being bullied at school, Ms Dott had few friends and lacked confidence and when a temporary Christmas supermarket job came to an end, she found herself on the dole queue with nothing to look forward to.

“Not having a job was really tough,” Ms Dott recalled.

“I was pretty miserable and it had a massive effect on my confidence. I couldn’t get motivated. I just kept thinking, ‘what’s the point?’

“You don’t always realise at the time what an impact it’s having. But looking back, I didn’t really have an appetite for anything and spent a lot of time just staying in the house.”

It was when she had to travel some distance to get her puppy groomed that she realised the opportunity for her to set up a business.

Ms Dott was given an initial grant to test her idea and after acquiring some loyal customers was given a development award from the Prince’s Trust to buy essential equipment for her company, called Short Bark and Sides.

“My confidence is definitely at an all-time high just now,” she said. “There is no doubt in my mind that the recession has had a major impact on young people like me. There are no jobs and the constant rejection letters, or worse, no response at all.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government is doing 
everything in our power to maximise employment opportunities for those aged 16-24, including record levels of modern apprenticeships and Opportunities for All.”

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