People ages 14 to 24 are in their “breakthrough decade,” Brookings Institution researchers wrote in a report released in April. This period of life is marked by major milestones such as graduation, moves, new jobs, and formative relationships.
Yet the report finds that more young people today experience mental health issues and feel financially unstable than previous generations. Fewer students are enrolling in school, while more are dropping out after enrolling. Indeed, Generation Z’s adolescent and young adult years have been shaped by the pandemic and widespread income inequality.
Richard Reeves, a nonresident senior fellow at Brookings and co-author of the report, said on a panel Monday that the defining decade, along with socioeconomic circumstances, can determine the social and economic stability of young Americans in the ‘adulthood.
“Rather than thinking of this period as being like a treadmill that you go up at 2 p.m. and go back down at 24, it’s more of a series of stepping stones,” Reeves said. “The ability to successfully transition between these stages is very important for what follows in terms of people’s life chances.”
Members of Generation Z who reached adolescence during the pandemic are particularly vulnerable, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas. Loneliness and a tough job market leave many Gen Zers feeling stuck, isolated and unsupported. In fact, they are part of the disconnected youth – defined as Generation Z who are not going to school and not working.
Some have disenrolled or taken a break from school, while others have graduated but are unemployed. Nearly 4.7 million young people were disconnected in 2021, according to research firm Measure of America.
Several of these Gen Zers told Business Insider that they are actively looking for work but live in low-opportunity areas where jobs are scarce, adult support is limited, and mental health resources are scarce.
“There are some stepping stones that are quite difficult, quite slippery, but some people have someone on either side to help them get over those stepping stones,” Reeves said. “Others are supposed to do it themselves.”
Disconnected young people risk long-term stagnation
Most members of Generation Z — who are between 12 and 27 years old — We are in this decisive decade. For young people in this age group, their living conditions have major implications for their health, happiness and long-term economic stability, according to the Brookings report.
Researchers analyzed education and employment criteria for Americans ages 14 to 24 based on data from the 2015-2019 Annual Social and Economic Supplement.
These criteria included enrolling in 9th grade with a GPA of 2.0 or higher, graduating from high school with a GPA of 2.0. or older, college enrollment or full-time employment three years after high school graduation, and enrollment or employment by age 24. The researchers chose to stop their analysis in 2019 since the pandemic disrupted enrollment, work, and living patterns.
Data shows that only 60% of young adults have achieved these four key indicators. The Brookings researchers said it has a lot to do with family income level.
For example, young people living in more advantaged areas during their adolescence could have better upward mobility as adults. Researchers said they are also more likely to enroll in higher education and get better-paying jobs.
At age 21, Brookings found that 94 percent of people in the highest socioeconomic group — defined as the top quintile of high-income households — are enrolled in school or working, compared to 78 percent for the lowest socioeconomic group. lowest income earner, including households in the lowest quintile. When young adults turn 24, only 31% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 58% work full time.
This education gap impacts future earnings: Data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that 25- to 34-year-olds with a bachelor’s degree earned $61,600 per year, compared to $39,700 for those who only had a high school diploma.
Researchers also said that gender, race and family status shape the financial futures of young Americans.
Only half of black young adults work full time, compared to 62 percent of white young adults – and black, Hispanic and Asian students have lower enrollment and employment rates than white students. Additionally, the report finds that young women are less likely to be employed at age 24 than young men.
Researchers said isolation is another contributing factor to the phenomenon of disconnected youth. More Gen Zers are living at home than previous generations, and many are experiencing higher levels of loneliness.
Data from the World Happiness Report suggests that young Americans are overall dissatisfied with their lives: Young adults in North America reported some of the lowest levels of life satisfaction in years, ranking 62nd out of 143 countries for this age group.
Disconnected youth are at greater risk of disability, homelessness, substance abuse and involvement in the criminal justice system, according to the Brookings report.
How to help disconnected young people
Although many disconnected young people have difficulty going to school and work, researchers warn against a “one-size-fits-all” solution. Reeves said there are many paths to success for young people: Not all students will succeed in the same higher education or career path.
“It is clear from this that there is not and should not be one narrow path to success, but we should think in terms of pluralism of opportunity,” Reeves said.
Jonathan Zaff, research professor in applied human development at Boston University, said the key to helping young Americans is to create adult mentoring networks that provide opportunities for Generation Z. He also suggested that schools invest in easing the financial and mental burden on students, by offering them example free or reduced price meals and bus fares.
Some schools are already taking steps to help students be more social and engaged, including investing in mentoring and peer support programs.
Ian Rowe, a senior fellow at the nonprofit policy research firm American Enterprise Institute, said that at its Vertex Partnership Academies, based in the Bronx, students have a “pastoral connection” three times a day with a teacher. that connects with students beyond class. He said his school also restricts phones and AirPods during the day so students can better connect with each other.
“People avoid talking to strangers even if it makes them happy,” said Lara Aknin, editor of the World Happiness Report. “People gain so much intimacy, warmth and happiness from having deep conversations with others, but we avoid doing that.”
She suggested using study groups in schools to foster more regular in-person contact among students.
Zaff added that young adults need scaffolding to stay connected — whether that’s having people at school to help them fill out a FAFSA form or being offered learning opportunities in high school. He said adults play an important role in supporting young people as they make decisions about their lives and their futures.
“We want to make sure young people feel empowered to exercise the agency we know they have,” Zaff said.
Are you a Gen Zer who is not employed or enrolled in school? Are you a parent of disconnected young people? Contact these journalists at allisonkelly@insider.com And nsheidlower@insider.com.
businessinsider
