Happiness tops young peoples wish for the future
Young peoples main wish for the future is happiness, according to a survey launched today (Tuesday 25th November) by online charity YouthNet.
The research explored the fears and hopes for the future of more than 1,000 16 to 24-year-olds, as well as their attitudes towards education, housing, family affairs and crime. When asked to rank priorities for the future, the young people surveyed were more likely to name family, health and career as important, rather than finances which came in fourth. When asked what their one wish for the future would be, one in five (20%) said they wanted to be happy.
The research report, named ‘Fear and Hoping in the UK’, also suggested that young people were significantly concerned about violence and death. Seven in 10 respondents (69%) agreed that youth on youth violence is out of control and eight in 10 (79%) agreed that there should be tighter controls on weapons in the UK. When asked what their greatest fear for the future would be, respondents were equally as likely to name their own death or the death of a loved one, as financial insecurity and debt (14%).
Chief Executive of YouthNet, Fiona Dawe, said: “Although young people are often portrayed as irresponsible or materialistic, we have found that it is hugely important factors, such as pressures of academic achievement, terrorism or global warming that are real concerns for young people.
“Their wish for happiness, health and family also shows that really what many young people want, in a complicated world, is to lead a good, simple life.”
Global issues were a clear concern with three quarters (75%) of young people surveyed saying that they were either very (35%) or a little (39%) concerned about terrorism affecting them personally or future generations. Almost as many young people expressed concern about the affects of global warming or war, with seven in 10 respondents agreeing that they were concerned about each of these issues (72% and 71% respectively).
The report, which was previewed at an event in central London last night hosted by YouthNet Chairman, and BBC Broadcaster, Martyn Lewis CBE, also included the following findings:
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Media Enquiries:
For further media information - or a copy of the Fear and Hoping in the UK report – please contact Sarah Wilson at YouthNet on 020 7250 5716 or out-of-hours on 07766 660 755. Email media@youthnet.org
Notes to Editors
The research report, named ‘Fear and Hoping in the UK’, also suggested that young people were significantly concerned about violence and death. Seven in 10 respondents (69%) agreed that youth on youth violence is out of control and eight in 10 (79%) agreed that there should be tighter controls on weapons in the UK. When asked what their greatest fear for the future would be, respondents were equally as likely to name their own death or the death of a loved one, as financial insecurity and debt (14%).
Chief Executive of YouthNet, Fiona Dawe, said: “Although young people are often portrayed as irresponsible or materialistic, we have found that it is hugely important factors, such as pressures of academic achievement, terrorism or global warming that are real concerns for young people.
“Their wish for happiness, health and family also shows that really what many young people want, in a complicated world, is to lead a good, simple life.”
Global issues were a clear concern with three quarters (75%) of young people surveyed saying that they were either very (35%) or a little (39%) concerned about terrorism affecting them personally or future generations. Almost as many young people expressed concern about the affects of global warming or war, with seven in 10 respondents agreeing that they were concerned about each of these issues (72% and 71% respectively).
The report, which was previewed at an event in central London last night hosted by YouthNet Chairman, and BBC Broadcaster, Martyn Lewis CBE, also included the following findings:
- Nine in 10 (87%) school-goers who completed the survey felt pressure to achieve academically and almost half (44%) were scared they would fail to meet their parents expectations
- Three in ten respondents (30%) agreed with the statement ‘I don’t think I’ll ever be able to buy my own place’
- Marriage and children were important to many of the respondents, with two thirds (67%) of those not already engaged or married wanting to be married or in a civil partnership one day.
- Nine in 10 (89%) of young people without children said they would like to be a parent in the future
- More than half of young people surveyed (52%) said that they worried about their health
- More than a quarter (27%) agreed that they had ‘personally suffered from mental health problems’.
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Media Enquiries:
For further media information - or a copy of the Fear and Hoping in the UK report – please contact Sarah Wilson at YouthNet on 020 7250 5716 or out-of-hours on 07766 660 755. Email media@youthnet.org
Notes to Editors
- YouthNet is the UK’s first exclusively online charity and was founded by Martyn Lewis CBE in 1995. It aims to create a socially inclusive environment where all young adults are engaged, informed and inspired to achieve their ambitions and dreams. YouthNet does this through two award winning websites, the online guide to life for 16 to 24-year-olds TheSite.org, and the UK’s leading volunteering website, do-it.org.uk.
- Fear and Hoping in the UK is the result of an online survey hosted on YouthNet’s website TheSite.org, and was completed by 1,033 young residents of the UK, aged 16 to 24 between 4th and 24th July 2008.