“Have you got a job yet?” “ No? Any news of a job?”
This is a question family members and friends ask daily. A view from the youth unemployed, by Jess Starns
I went to university be-cause I didn’t feel I was ready to leave education. Having dyslexia, dyspraxia and dyscalculia, I was still struggling with reading, writing, maths, social skills and coordination. Whilst at University my reading, writing and social skills improved loads. I also learnt how to research more in depth and to ask the right questions. I also found out what I wanted to do as a career, in my second year I did an extension studies course in museum studies. I wasn’t ready for work till I was twenty, since then I have been applying for jobs. Whilst at college on my days off I did child minding but when I got to University I couldn’t do studying and working, I spent most my time reading and writing. Now I feel I left it too late to find paid work. I have lost count how many interviews I have had, but on average I have an interview once a week. I have lost count how many applications I have filled in, it seems a never-ending process. You cannot stop after each knock back you get, you have just got to get on with it again and think of new ways to improve. It’s depressing. The best thing about looking for work is that sometimes you get to see some amazing places that you wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to do so and you get to meet some interesting people. Some of who have helped me to find work and opportunities after I wasn’t successful. I never get negative feedback but I know I struggle to make sentences and think quickly for answers but these are problems I have out of the interview environment. I’ve also been told because I look 12 people think I am still young. I never get negative feedback but I know I struggle to make sentences and think quickly for answers but these are problems I have out of the interview environment. I’ve also been told because I look 12 people think I am still young.
10
and look for opportunities. I am on the work choice programme with Shaw Trust. They say I am the a skillin museums or archives and sometimes think that most motivated person they have ever met on the pro gramme. I wish I had done an apprenticeship to learn maybe going to University wasn’t the brightest thing I have done because by now I might have a full time job. I don’t think I had any careers support when I was at school apart from our two weeks work experience in year ten, (which I found myself) I went to a photographic library in London. I remember we had a Connexions office but I don’t think I knew what they were there for. I went once to talk about what I was going to do after school but because I already had a place at college that was it. I didn’t have any expectations at school apart from I was worried about leaving education and not finding work I could do without help. In November I completed the Princes Trust Team course. I cannot rate this course highly enough. The team course has given me more confidence, I made new friends in the same situation and I found out I was interested in young people’s personal development. I found out I was good at helping others and helping them find opportunities, being organised, planning, ideas and research. I realised I was more employable and capable than I thought I was. Having the support from family and friends is really important. Through being unemployed I have learnt that you need to be good at research, need to be motivated and to look and ask the right questions yourself. I now believe it’s just down to luck. Since writing this I am now underemployed, I have been given a job working three and a half hours a week so I am still looking for fulltime employment. Since writing this article, Jess has found employment Jess is a volunteer Youth Ambassador for Youth Employment UK CIC and Laura-Jane says this about her;
“Jess is a really gifted and brilliant young person, she demonstrates an excellent range of employability skills, and she is hard working and very bright. The fact that she has committed to so many volunteering opportunities makes her a stand out candidate in my mind and yet there are still barriers for her. Her story is all too common and I grow more concerned for this generation”