Welcome to the My Chance, Our Future Campaign – and the third edition of our Youth Unemployment Monitor.
This regular e-newsletter was launched to draw attention to the latest data and analysis on the epidemic of youth unemployment in Australia.
We are pleased to have an important voice join the discussion. Dr Ken Henry, the respected former Treasury secretary, has written the “Wise Words” column this month. He makes the compelling case to tackle the growing problem of youth unemployment.
The facts are unquestionably alarming. The unemployment rate nationally among those aged 15 to 24 was 12.5 per cent at March – more than double the overall rate of unemployment.
The Brotherhood of St Laurence recently crunched the ABS numbers and found more than 50,000 people aged between 15 and 24 nationwide have now been on the unemployment treadmill for more than 52 weeks. The experience of being young and unemployed in Australia has painfully changed for many. Read our media release >
As parents, as community members and as a nation, we need to act now to restore hope.
Tony Nicholson, Executive Director