Self-obsessed, shallow and fame-hungry? The youth of today may have a bad rep but, according to a new report, they’re actually a very caring bunch, writes Neil Staveley.
As far as stereotypes go, today’s teens generally aren’t painted in the best of lights.
Modern youth? Wouldn’t know manners if they fell over them.
Young people? All they think about are selfies and status updates …
Paraphrase here and there if you like, but that’s basically what many more mature folk believe, spurred on by incessant headlines about rising teen knife crime, surging unemployment and social media obsession re-wiring everyone’s brains.
But while all these headlines may be based on fact, they also ignore another important fact; namely that today’s teenagers are the most community-minded generation in 100 years.
Let us tell you the surprising tale: it began back in February, when independent think tank and research institute Demos labelled today’s youth as ‘Generation Citizen’, and now it’s backed up by a new report by the National Citizen Service (NCS).
Studying trends and data over the last century, the NCS has revealed that 52% of today’s teens place a great emphasis on feeling a duty to be an active citizen, compared with just 43% of Baby Boomers.
What’s more, they’re the youth group most likely to support a cause they believe in (72%); a third (33%) have already raised money for charity and a quarter (26%) have volunteered in their local area. This last figure is second only to what’s dubbed, quite rightly, the ‘Greatest Generation’ – those coming of age in World War II.
It’s a significant blow against all those ‘modern youth, eye-roll’ naysayers, but it doesn’t mean it’s all rosy for our teens.
Yes, they mean well and do good, but they also face significant hurdles.
Firstly, for all their tech savviness, they worry they lack the skills and confidence to face today’s tricky jobs market.
Only 19% expect to have a job for life – a comfort nearly half of the ‘Silent Generation’, born between 1929-1942, could enjoy and, even more worrying, a staggering 92% of Generation Citizen expect to ‘encounter challenges when looking for long-term employment’.
Michael Lynas, spokesperson for the NCS, said: “We need to make sure this generation are equipped with the right tools and opportunities as they enter a complex jobs market.
“Programmes like National Citizen Service do this by teaching young people lessons they can’t learn in the classroom. By coming together with others in their local area and putting something back, young people not only make new friends, they develop confidence, teamwork and leadership: all essential skills for life and work.”
It’s very sound advice, and hopefully advice that’ll lift our youth over the obstacles that lie ahead.
But for the rest of us, perhaps a little older than Gen Cit, let’s look back, and see how the main traits of our teen years measure up:
Lost Generation (Born 1885-1900)
First to experience free compulsory primary education.
Greatest Generation (Age now: 90-113)
Valued skills such as resilience, leadership and initiative more than any other.
Silent Generation (Age now: 72-89
Most keen to follow a passion in long-term employment, particularly science and engineering. The first to value having a job for life, seeing continuity as important to get ahead.
Baby Boomers (Age now: 54-71)
The first to experience compulsory free secondary education until the age of 15, free healthcare and all the benefits of the welfare state. The generation least concerned about succeeding highly in their careers or saving for the future.
Generation X (Age now: 32-53)
Growing up against the economic recession in the early 1980s, they’re the least confident about securing employment. Celebrity culture also had an impact; many Generation X teens aspired to be famous.
Generation Y (Age now: 13-32)
The first to experience the effects of the internet, but this has led to ‘choice paralysis’ – they’re the generation most likely to daydream about a new job while at work. Fears around pensions and unprecedented student debts means they’re the most concerned about saving for their future.
Generation Citizen (Age now: 13-19)
The first true digital natives, they’re the most ambitious generation but expect to encounter more barriers to securing long-term employment. They’re the most entrepreneurial and community-minded.
To sign up for a summer NCS programme, teens can visit www.ncsyes.co.uk