The only certainty we have about the future of the COVID-19 pandemic is that life will never be the same. We are now experiencing a lifestyle never seen before. Different societies worldwide are adapting their cultural habits and lives because of the need to face mass self-isolation and social distancing. Sanitary issues now are everyone’s business and more than ever a matter of National Security.
COVID-19 IMPACT FOR YOUNGER GENERATIONS
However, the impact of this pandemic among generations is different. While elderly generations are most affected by COVID-19 infection and health complications, the youngest generations are the ones who will be most affected by the social and economic consequences of isolation policy.
At first, employment issues are one of the most critical areas. Even before the COVID-19 crisis, working situations for young workers were below desirable. According to Decent Jobs for Youth, many young people are already working on part-time and temporary jobs where they are low paid, don’t have job security or social protection. Also, they take place in the most affected industry sectors, such as wholesale, accommodation, and food. A situation that looks even worse for young women that are “57% of young people in the food services and accommodation sector in Switzerland and 65% of those in the United Kingdom”. To the International Labour Organization, young people are one of the most vulnerable groups to the economic crisis since they are already facing higher rates of unemployment and underemployment.
With unemployment rates rising, governments around the world have been trying to find solutions to support those who lost their jobs. Even though Hungary ended 2019 with unemployment at the lowest record since 1999 (approximately 3.46%), 56.000 people lost their jobs only in March, the same month that lockdown policies began. Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is working to implement measures on a new public work scheme, and critics of the government point out their concerns about cuts on unemployment benefits and restrictive conditions to the current economic aid.
Younger employees at the beginning of their careers or looking for their first jobs will be the most affected by those measures. According to Orbán policy, job-seekers will be paid by the government for three months, and if they are still unemployed after it, they must register for public work. This can hurry younger professionals to take opportunities they are overqualified to, bringing longer consequences for their careers like difficulties to rise, develop the right skills, and get proper payment.
LIFE AFTER PANDEMIC
Finding a job in a damaged economic scenario with high unemployment rates and low opportunity for networking will be one of our generation’s biggest challenges. It can affect career and school choices from now on. Also, we will need to face the social and psychological outcomes of lockdown policy. After experiencing high levels of anxiety and uncertainty, we will need to learn to rebuild our lives, values, knowledge, and skills.
The COVID-19 pandemic will be one of the most remarkable events of our biographies. We had to learn how to adapt to the design of our lives away from our activities and community. Soon, we will need to learn to readapt to our old scenario, now full of precautions and safety measures.
This is a moment where youth voices have to be heard. Acknowledge our main fears, insecurities, and hopes for the future is a big step to know how to support young people around the world to access their rights. Quality education, access to healthcare services, and clean water, decent work will need to be in our spotlight.
To understand youth perspectives, AIESEC is running the widest survey with young people in the world. Youth Speak is a survey for you to tell us how you see the world in the next ten years, which causes you believe that worth fighting for, and which values and skills are the most important from now on. We need to speak up for these topics to advocate the right policies and attitudes from governments and leaders around the world.
We still don’t know if COVID-19 is the biggest challenge we will face in our lifetime, but it is for sure a moment for us to understand the importance of taking responsibility for our community. During these times, being a leader is also about following safety measures like staying at home and letting your voice be heard! Click here to fill the Youth Speak Survey and help us to build a better future for young generations.
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