NOW WILL POLITICIANS TAKE YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT SERIOUSLY?
*Thinking dark thoughts?
We promise you’re not alone — and there is help available. Please contact PAPYRUS or the Samaritans now. Suicide is always a tragic waste and it’s never the solution to anything. Also see our more recent post Student suicides rise – are graduates next?
It’s with great sadness that Graduate Fog has learned of the death of 21-year-old Vicky Harrison, who took her own life after a two-year struggle to find work.
Vicky, from Darwen in Lancashire, had no history of mental illness. And she was bright — she had ten GCSEs (at grade A-C) and three A levels (at grade B-D).
Yet her parents say she took an overdose of pills because she felt “humiliated” that she could not get a job after dropping out of university in her first year.
Vicky had applied for about a dozen jobs a week, including shop work, waitressing and being a school dinner lady.
Her death came just a day after she received yet another letter saying she had failed in her application and interview for a job, this time at a nursery.
Vicky’s mum and dad — who described their daughter as “wonderful and bubbly” — said she was struggling to get by on Jobseeker’s allowance and felt she was losing touch with her friends because she could not afford to go out with them.
“She was humiliated that she couldn’t find work,” said Vicky’s mum Louise. “It was an embarrassing situation for her.”
Her dad Tony added, “In the end it obviously got her down to such a point that she felt she had no future. It shouldn’t have been like that.
“She had a lot to give and was very determined. She was clever, too. There was no reason why she shouldn’t have been able to find a job.”
New figures show that there are more than 4,000 young people claiming Jobseeker’s allowance in East Lancashire — up about 48% since the country went into recession.
But Vicky’s family – and boyfriend, Nathan Haworth — believe her situation is echoed all around the UK. They now hope to raise awareness about the emotional support that’s needed for young people who find themselves unemployed for long periods of time.
As regular readers will know, I have been campaigning for years for greater recognition of the psychological toll of being out of work. Unemployment is enormously damaging emotionally – particularly for young people.
Having been there myself, I know how quickly you lose your confidence when you’re not working and what a lonely business job-hunting can be. Whatever your financial circumstances, it is extremely difficult to cope with – even more so if you’re surviving solely on JSA and find yourself isolated because you can’t afford to go out and meet friends.
Vicky’s death underlines the fact that tackling the UK’s growing youth unemployment crisis is not just about launching more schemes or yet another ‘initiative’. It requires care and sensitivity.
This is not just about numbers – it is about individuals.
Despite the many headlines about ‘dole scroungers’ and ‘benefits thieves,’ I have always believed that most people want to work – and that includes the young.
Unfortunately, our society has begun to stigmatise the unemployed.
And I fear we’re witnessing a disturbing trend towards normalising the attitude that being out of work is something that should be punished.
When I covered the Tories’ proposal of making people earn the dole, your reactions were strong but mixed. Your views depended on whether this proposed ‘community work’ is designed to give ‘good’ jobseekers some helpful structure and a way of feeling useful – or whether it’s intended as a stick with which to beat those considered lazy just because they’re out of work.
Clearly we do not want a nation of young people who would prefer to sit back and take hand-outs than get out there and find a job.
But when a bright young girl like Vicky Harrison feels her best option is to take her own life, it’s clear to me that something is very, very wrong with our current priorities.
If we do not act fast to help the thousands of young people sharing Vicky’s struggle, I fear her death may not be the last of its kind.
*What do you think?
Is the government taking youth unemployment seriously enough? Were you prepared for the emotional and psychological impact of being out of work? What sort of support is available for people in your shoes? Do we need a service that bridges the gap between careers advice and psychological counselling?
I have a question – are there any graduate job clubs in the major cities?
I have no one to bounce ideas off, apart from my careers service. This is going to sound really silly, but I feel too embarassed to see them now because I’ve been unemployed for some time.
I understand what Kevin is going through. Not only am I unemployed, I don’t have a partner or a large group of friends. I’ve gone from being around hundreds of people my age at university, to being completely alone.
@Richard,
I find the loneliness aspect pretty hard. When you only really have parents for company because all of your friends have moved on it isn’t a great place to be in.
I feel the same embarrassment to, none of the people at my old uni careers service even get back to me. It is just getting harder and harder to get up every day.
But I’ll say this. A friend of mine went straight from uni to the PwC graduate scheme in tech consultancy. After 18 months of hard work, sitting exam after exam, working his backside off he took 2 weeks off due to his mother passing away. They were very close and he feel into a deep depression. After taking just two weeks off having not so much as taken a holiday in the last year and a half they said thank for everything now clear your desk.
Tanya, I emailed you regarding my inability to download the book as it is still trying to charge me and I can’t afford it.
@Kevin,
Yeah, it’s not fun is it. Your uni should have an online booking system.
There was someone on my course who dropped out after the first year. They did an IT apprenticeship and are now a software developer with the DWP. Despite having a physics degree with computing knowledge, it would be very, very difficult for me to get this job. It’s pretty crazy. Still, I suppose we can apply for jobs that they can’t.
When I hear about doctors jumping ship to another country I feel very envious that they are able to do that. This is why I’m thinking of retraining in something like healthcare. I don’t want to be in this situation much longer, and to be honest, I’d rather not be in an office all day.
I understand where you are coming from it is silly.
I originally wanted to do medicine but I couldn’t afford to sit the entrance tests when I was in Sixth Form. It was so ridiculous to me that they demanded so much just to apply. I had a friend that did medicine and moved to Australia. She thought she’d be living by the beach having a great time working and playing. She didn’t foresee that the government tells you where to work. She ended up in a clinic just outside Darwin. Not great but at least she had the option of going. I also have a friend whose brother tried for graduate entry medicine. He came in the top 20% of those that sat the entrance tests and secured 4 interviews. He got rejected from all of them. He didn’t have the “human” touch that empathy they look for or so they said.
@Tanya if you no longer want us to discuss things on this page I’m happy for you to give Richard my email address as I don’t want to post it publicly.
I tried repeatedly to contact the university service but they just kept blanking me. As I graduated in 2014 they may not be interested in speaking to me after a year and a half.
Yeah, I’m happy to talk over email.
@Kevin,
Have you thought of doing a TEFL or working / volunteer abroad? This is my plan for the summer unless something comes up. I’m sick of ruminating.
This week I was rejected from a graduate scheme — the NGDP – after several rounds (tests, video interviews, assessments). Very disheartening as I really thought I stood a chance with this one given I have a First from a top university and relevant work experience.
The volunteer position I am doing is going nowhere. Indeed people who have been there longer are starting to leave on the basis that it simply isn’t feasible to continue working for free forever! The penny has dropped that a paid role isn’t going to be forthcoming any time soon.
I’m worried as to where I go from here. It is a question of perception. To be unemployed as long as I have changes how people perceive you.
I do think the comments on here do risk becoming a ‘pity party’ unless we are focusing on the solutions. But that is it isn’t it — what is the solution?
@Richard
I have thought about it but I’m not sure. My health issues might throw up a few problems to go and do it. I did think it would be a way of travelling which I’ve wanted to do.
@Graduate
Do you might if I ask you where you did your degree and in what subject? You said you went to a top uni and got a first so I’m just curious. When did you graduate? You said you’d been unemployed for a long time.
@Tanya
Someone posted about being movie/tv extras, the website is a scam.
I don’t want to say too much that would identify me but I graduated with a humanities degree several years ago. It was partly just a bad time to graduate and partly I overestimated my worth in the jobs market. The fact my father was made redundant about the same time didn’t help either. We were looking at having the house repossessed at one point and I don’t think I coped with it all that well.
Sunk into depression and should have started volunteering where I am far earlier. Perhaps it is easier to blame everyone else. I don’t know if ruminating on the past gets you anywhere though.
What I do know is that the role I am currently volunteering for has all the demands of a paid role but zero chance of becoming one. The only route out of this is more applications and I’m working on an application for a housing association’s complaints department today.The only way out of this is more and more applications.
I’ve been offered a temp call centre role with an exams board, unsure whether I should take it. I’ve answered phones in the past and it was incredibly difficult with my anxiety. I feel like I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place.
@ Richard – That’s great news – congratulations! If I were you I would definitely take the job. I don’t know how much work you’ve done on your anxiety so far, but I have done a little work on anxiety myself and know that it is something that improves the more you are exposed to whatever causes you to be anxious. It doesn’t get cured by avoiding the stressful trigger. You can manage this exposure in small steps of course. Getting out of the house and being paid for your work will be a huge boost to your confidence. What’s the worst that can happen? If it’s really awful, you can leave 😉
@ Everyone else – I’m curious – how many of you have bought my book my book from Amazon, or downloaded it from Gumroad? There are so many ideas and suggestions in that, and if you don’t find it helpful then you get a refund, no questions asked. It seems crazy that you’re not prepared to pay the £3.99, especially when it’s refundable!
Hmm, perhaps it’s my turn to vent today…
The truth is that I can’t help but hear that many of you seem to be making the same mistakes over and over, and not seeking out any alternatives, nor are you prepared to change the methods you use. I also hear a mix of desperation (“I’ll take anything!”) AND high expectations (“…but not THAT!”), which prevents you from running a clear and consistent job hunt. This is one of the first things that we address in the book, before moving on to all the other options you have. It’s fine to take a ‘stepping stone’ job for a year or two, even if it’s not what you want to do long-term.
Some recent comments that have frustrated me a little:
“The only way out of this is more and more applications.” – No, it’s not – the only way out is to CHANGE WHAT YOU’RE DOING because it’s obviously not working. This is in my book and all over this website, which suggests you haven’t read it, or perhaps you have but just haven’t taken it on board for some reason?
“I tried repeatedly to contact the university service but they just kept blanking me.” – They are not the only source of information out there (and they’ve never been the best!) – look at other sources, including this website and my book
“I do think the comments on here do risk becoming a ‘pity party’ unless we are focusing on the solutions. But that is it isn’t it — what is the solution?” – Ummm, there are LOTS … Get better advice, try different approaches, explore your options about what jobs you should be going for, read the Advice section on this website, download my book… Have you done these things?
If you’re really not prepared to take a £3.99 risk to buy the download of the book, have you read the free advice in the Advice section on this website? I can’t help feeling that many people commenting here are simply doing the same thing again and again, not taking the advice on offer and expecting a different result.
Sorry for anyone offended – this is what I call ‘tough love’! I guess I’m feeling exasperated today – as I love you guys (!) and I’ve put in a HUGE amount of work to help you (most of which is unpaid!), but I’m afraid the brutal, honest truth is that at some point you have to dig deep and help yourself. It is frustrating to me to feel that you are not taking advantage of what’s available, instead preferring to keep repeating old mistakes endlessly – and then wonder why nothing is changing!
Okay, rant over. I’m just being honest about what I’m hearing and how that makes me feel. This seems to be the page for brutal honesty, so I thought I’d chip in myself! 😉
Hi Tanya,
Yes I will give it my best shot.
I feel bitter that I may have to work in a call centre and a moron from my course is utilizing their degree as a technician. I excelled at uni and here I am. They have that job because their supervisor works in the company. It makes me angry and I can’t seem to get past this line of thinking.
I just want to bring something to everyone’s attention and it may upset some but I think it is a truth that we need to confront in society. Today I looked through some news websites as I do everyday and I then spent the afternoon going back through my history to look at the stories I have read in recent months. This also forms part of why I think most of us arrived at this page, suicidal thoughts.
Today the body of a 25 year old doctor was found on a beach after she had taken her own life with not being able to cope with her job, it’s pressures and feeling worthless.
Today the body of a 24 year old graduate who aspired to work as a city trader was found by railway tracks in London.
These two stories hit me quite hard after everything I’ve been through this past 9 months with depression and that these two people were my age. Since Christmas, not through specifically seeking out such stories they were just on main webpages of everyday news papers, I have found the following:
3 doctors/medical students have committed suicide.
Two 24 year old law graduates committed suicide.
A 25 year old City Worker committed suicide.
A 22 year old bioscience student committed suicide
A 20 year old aspiring journalist committed suicide.
A masters graduate from my own university committed suicide
Today also saw a tribe nation in Canada declare a state of emergency after 11 people aged 18-30 tried to commit suicide in one evening.
All of these cases were related to work related issues. All except the doctors were struggling to find work and the doctors were suffering from extreme stress in work. I sat and cried for a while thinking about the times I’d tried to take my own life over such issues but people actually are dying with increasing frequency and no one seems to be paying attention.
Also Tanya re your venting, you’ve offered me and several other free downloads of the book. I’m still trying to download it.
I’d also make the point that some people here are surviving on JSA at £50 odd quid a week. £3.99 may not seem like a great deal of money but even living at home with parents you have bills to pay, keep to pay your parents, maybe travel costs to interviews if you can get them etc. Very quickly £3.99 out of £57.35 becomes a lot of money. If you live independently on your own it is even harder.
Also I don’t know enough about Richard’s job offer to pass comment. If it is a zero hours might get something one week nothing the next or is part time to a point where he would be worse off financially does it make sense to take the job? Also you can’t just quit if you don’t like it. If you leave a job you can’t just go back on JSA you have to wait so many weeks before you can claim again if you leave a job. If Rich quits what does he have to live on then for the next few weeks? Like I said I don’t know enough to pass comment.
In relation to criticising my comment regarding contacting my old university I’m not sitting here day in day out staring at the ceiling. I’m look at other websites, other information. You’d be surprised how many people you can contact for help and just get blanked and very often websites start to repeat themselves with the same generic advice. As I said still not able to download the book.
Sometimes people aren’t commenting expecting others to immediately come to their aid with job search help. Some are just commenting out of loneliness. I know I have recently just because I wanted someone to talk in the same boat as me. Like I said Tanya I’m happy to share my email with anyone that wants to message me privately if you no longer want us posting here out of just wanting to vent or have someone to talk to.
@Kevin
I emailed you a few days ago to say I’d fixed the problem with the download. Perhaps you didn’t receive it? Let me know if you are still having problems but I think it should be fixed now. When you put in that promo code the price will display as zero.
I know that £3.99 is a lot when your weekly income is low, that’s why, when people say they can’t afford it, I send them the promo code (and all of them have downloaded it successfully, it’s only because I changed a setting recently that it didn’t work for you.
However, I do think a lot of people who complain about their job situation are not on quite such a low income – eg they’re doing a stop gap job and want something better. Also, I’m sure many have friends or family who would lend them the money if they asked. When you consider the gain to be had from it for the price of a drink in a pub, I think it’s a good investment.
I can’t help feeling that the real reason most don’t buy it because they don’t think it can solve what they perceive to be the problem – which is that ‘There are simply no jobs out there’. They feel the ‘evidence’ (1,000s of applications, no job to show for it) is irrefutable.
But Kevin, please believe me – that is NOT the problem. Time and time again I hear of vacancies going unfilled. The problem is a lot more complex than that. And whatever your circumstances are, there is a LOT you can do to boost your chances of changing them. You are all bright, educated people, and there ARE employers out there who want to hire you. They find it difficult to find you, and you find it difficult to find them. But please keep looking, because they are out there.
By the way, if anyone is reading this and wants to download How to Get a Graduate Job Now but can’t afford it, please message me through the Contact Us page and I will give you the promo code (It will work, I promise!).
If you feel funny about accepting ‘charity’ (don’t be! but some people are), you can pay me for it when you get a job! 🙂
Thanks,
Tanya x
@Tanya,
I wasn’t meaning to be overly critical. I also didn’t want the second comment to detract from the first recording all the publicised suicide of young people this year.
@ Kevin. Have you tried to download the book yet??!? 😉
I’ll email you privately about your other comment, I agree these are a collection of tragic cases. However, I would warn against concluding a strong causal relationship between these individuals’ employment statuses and their decision to take their own life. Every case will be different and there are likely to be many other details behind their personal circumstances, which the general public is unaware of.
What we really need to do is to end this ‘I’m alright Jack’ mentality towards unemployed graduates. We have a government and Opposition whose families will never suffer from graduate unemployment and underemployment and some sections of the public tell graduates to stop whingeing and to get a grip. What us graduates need to tell the public and the government is that we didn’t incur thousands of pounds in debt to be jobless/stuck in a rubbish job stacking shelves in Asda. If unemployed graduates forced greater public and government understanding of the impacts of graduate, something may be done to resolve the problem. Is it worth Tanya setting up a petition on a website like change.org calling for an end to the graduate job crisis within the next 5 years?
I don’t know if I’m on a zero hours contract but the hours are changeable. I’m expectated to work across 7 days per week on a shift basis.
It’s far from ideal but it is a short contract. Is it better to get experience with a company like AQA or is it better to work p/t in a shop and do volunteer work?
It’s hard to know what to do. Should I put 100% effort into finding graduate work or courses, or should I take this job? The funding deadlines for postgraduate study at coming up so I don’t want this job to take over my life.
I’ve lost motivation with my job search. The schemes that interest me have already closed but I didn’t know about them because I have no help or guidance. Question: if an internship opens in summer 2016 is it for the following year? I’m looking at one on the shell website. I’m sick of it all to be honest. I’ve received no guidance from anyone and I’ve missed all the arbitrary deadlines for the good programmes. The only successful people I know are all rich kids or the ones who did things like the ERASMUS scheme. How the FUCK am I meant to compete with people who are always one step ahead of me? I come from Salford for gods sake. I don’t even know why I come on this website because it isn’t helping.
@ Rich. Sorry you’re having a tough time. Anyone who’s been unemployed for more than a short while knows exactly how you feel.
Have you downloaded my book yet? And read it? I’d be surprised if you had, and were still saying you ‘haven’t been given any guidance.’ The book makes clear that it is up to YOU to figure out what to do next, and gather the information that you need in order to plan your next move. Nobody is going to do it for you.
Also, why are you only looking at graduate schemes? And it’s not true that everyone is one step ahead of you, although I know it can feel like that sometimes.
I apply to both graduate schemes and to small companies. In the last few days I’ve applied to small companies like SAL Ltd or sphere medical. I get blanked by everyone *apart* from graduate schemes. It’s all about nepotism, at the end of the day. The people I mention have connections and come from successful families. I know I have to figure it all out for myself, but like I say, I am always a step behind and because of this I’ve missed all the deadlines. Good luck to the government when they have to write 40Bn off… because at this rate I’m lucky if I get minimum wage.
@Tanya,
Do you have a cv template you could email over? Perhaps I’m not getting my experience across or presenting myself in the correct way.
At this point I’m out of ideas.
No I don’t have a CV template. I don’t think such things are good actually, as different industries want you to present yourself in different ways. And there’s a personal choice element too.
Before you re-do it, I would suggest you get some feedback from people in your industry. Ask, “What would you change if you were me?” They will probably all say slightly different things, so you can decide which advice you want take and what you want to leave.
I’ve spoken to hundreds of graduates over the years and I’d say that by FAR the most common mistakes that graduates are making are 1) what jobs you are going for – too broad / too narrow? Realistic? 2) what methods you are using to find those positions.
It is NOT a case that there just aren’t enough jobs out there. And remember, you are only looking for one job – your job. You need to believe it is out there and that your challenge is to find it.
HAVE YOU READ THE BOOK YET??!??
@Tanya,
Please delete all of my posts on here.
Ye, I’ve read the book. I’m just going around in circles on here.
Good luck @Kevin, we’re gonna need it. Email me some time.
Richard,
Its worth looking on meetup.com – I remember there were job hunting groups on there last time I looked, so there may be in your city. Might be worth time googling as i’m sure there are lots of people in the same position who would love to meet up or have a small group on facebook.
Which area are you in?
@rich I don’t know if Tanya gave you my email address? I don’t know if you’ve unsubscribed from this so might not get this message.
Last week I found myself in a position where I couldn’t manage any more. I broke down into tears feeling utterly worthless. A complete emotional and financial burden on everyone around me. How can I stop feeling like this when it is all I can remember now? I couldn’t face another lonely weekend so I made an attempt on my own life. Obviously it didnt work and I ended up in hospital. I still feel the same way I did before and tonight has been no different. Its now 4:30am and I’ve not slept, endless worry about the future, money, prospects, loneliness. It’s a lot to carry with continuing drama from all quarters.
All I can say now is just don’t end up like me. I’m a failure, I’ve failed everyone around me, I’ve failed in just about everyone someone can fail. I’ve just given up now on anything ever changing.
Hi kevin,
I am really sad to hear about how you are feeling; I felt like this when I graduated and didnt have a job for siix years. I still feel like that sometimes, but what helps me is to focus on the positive and try and keep active. Which degree did u study ? Whereabouts in the UK are u based ?
Hey Kevin, I’m sorry to hear this mate. Constant isolation is enough to send anyone over the edge. I’ve been living it for years.
I made an email address if you want to get in touch: richgraduatefog@gmail.com
I feel like I’m stuck in the summer after high school.
My life has never really moved on.
My temp job starts next week and ends somewhere in the middle of May. I could then do a TEFL or travel during the summer. But what do I do when September comes around? I will be back in this situation again. The reality is if I don’t find a career my life will never move forward and I will keep going around in circles.
I was unemployed for 3 years, I can easily apply for about 30 jobs a day but the only replies I got is where I went through someone else or filled in an extremely long form (not 1-click apply). Sometimes you need an expert to tell you what you are doing wrong especially on the CV, THE JOBCENTRE WON’T HELP YOU as their staff don’t even have the time to help you find jobs let alone tell you what you’re doing wrong.
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