High rate of depression among young
Charlotte Goddard
Sunday, January 4, 2009
One in ten UK young people say that life is not worth living, according to new research from The Prince's Trust.
Young people not in education, employment or training were twice as likely to feel that life has little or no purpose.
The survey, carried out by YouGov, also found that more than a quarter of the 2,004 16- to 25-year-olds surveyed said they were often or always down or depressed, rising to 37 per cent among those not in employment, education or training.
The Trust is launching a mental health awareness programme to help leaders on its Team programme, which aims to get young people into work or training, identify signs of different emotional health issues and develop ways to support young people.
Peter Kellner, YouGov president, said: "Most young people have a positive outlook on life, but our Youth Index reveals a significant core of unhappy people under age 25. Their concerns need to be addressed, and not only for the sake of the young people themselves; for if we ignore their concerns, we will be storing up big problems for the future."
