A life on the dole for children of jobless in vicious unemployment cycle
Tens of thousands of children with jobless parents could be condemned to a life on benefits as a vicious cycle of unemployment grips the South West, a report has claimed.
A total of 114,000, or 14 per cent, of the region's youngsters grow up in families where no one works — a figure which rises to 16 per cent in hotspots such as Plymouth and also in Torbay.
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And according to the Destined for the Dole study, a culture of low expectation and lack of self belief could consign one in every six children to the scrap heap.
The report by the Prince's Trust and Qa Research warns that 16 per cent of young people from workless families are much less likely to avoid the dole queue and do not feel their parents are equipped to help them.
Sue Porto, the trust's regional director, said: "It is a tragedy to think that so many feel condemned to a life on benefits.
"If we fail to stop these disadvantaged young people becoming disadvantaged adults, this cycle will continue to blight these families for generations to come."
There are currently 1.9 million children living in workless households in the UK – the highest number in Europe.
The report was based on interviews carried out with 2,048 people aged 16 to 24 across the UK, and builds on an annual survey of around 52,000 UK households.
The total number of jobless homes in Devon stands at 21,000 or 11 per cent.
Figures for Cornwall are slightly less reliable, due to the low population centres, and come with a health warning from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Nevertheless, the lower samples reveal a similar trend with Kerrier district, which includes Camborne and Redruth, showing one in five children as residing in households where no-one works.
The former local authority areas of Carrick and Caradon also hover around the 20 per cent mark.
Kevin Hawke, neighbourhood manager at the Redruth North Partnership, said there had been a "generational decline" in advice and guidance which and called for the system to be simplified.
"There are so many little inadequacies in the system which conspire against youngsters seeking work," he said.
"Jobcentres will pay for a suit for interview but not for protective equipment for a training course.
"They will give advice on how to fill out a CV, but the majority don't have anything to put on it anyway.
"There are so many directions that people can take that it can be like being on a roundabout and not knowing which route to take."
Mr Hawke says he is cautiously optimistic that "things are getting better" but predicted an uncertain future with many organisations fearing potential cuts .
"The gap between long-term unemployment and benefit dependent households needs to be broken," he added. "It is not the parents' fault and the biggest thing is that there are just not the jobs available."
The survey found that young people whose parents do not work are twice as likely as their peers to feel they have no skills or talents.
One in five say that seeing their parents out of work has made them anxious about finding a job, while almost one in 10 have not even thought about what career they want.
St Ives Liberal Democrat MP Andrew George said the "cycle of deprivation" could not be broken by the state alone.
"It is interesting that the Prince's Trust has highlighted this because it is one of the organisations with a good track record of working to raise the expectations of those households," he said.
"The problem is not to do with an innate inability on their part but more to do with low expectations – and helping to raise these expectations is not just good for them but for society as a whole."
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by David, St Austell
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 5:11PM
“The benefit system was designed to help people like Zoe and it obviously did and she got on with her life all credit to her. The problem arises when families get much more in benefits than they could by working and use that as an excuse for not trying to get work. This disease gets passed on to the next generation and now we have an alarming number of households in which no-one has ever worked. The system must be revised so that those who are in need get it and the others who are defrauding us, the taxpayers,get suitably punished.”
by richardkeithwillcock, poolredruth
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 12:53PM
“never saw awrite up abouyt james morrison ohere or rose from rosie andther goldbug”
by Gary, Saltash
Wednesday, August 11 2010, 8:50AM
“I despair. Thank God I am 60 and will be dead soon because I have no hope for any of the world. I pity my children, not hope for them. What an appalling legacy for my father, grandfather and greatgrandfather who all fought in the wars - for our freedom. .
James, North Cornwall
I hope that does not happen, nobody said life is easy, A few friends of mine are going through the same as you and have lost homes, money and in one case love. You need to stay focused on what is important in life "FAMILY" The manner in which you portraying yourself will reflect during an interview, you need to turn this anger into drive and never give up, if you are half the man you claim to be, reinventing yourself should be easy, but you need to forget the past. Best of luck
Gary”
by James, North Cornwall
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 5:36PM
“I am one of your untouchables; a northerner who brought his skills to a part of the country he loves with a passion. What has happened? After 10 years of sheer hell fighting bureacracy I am on the benefits slope. With a mental health situation that puts me as a basket case. Because I disagreed with all the grabbers, the so-called "super-managers". I have a doctorate, a MBA, a degree, a member of three professional institutes, a disabled son and a passion to live here and put back what it has given me for 10 years. Quality of life and help for those who can't help themselves. But I can't - because the system doesn't allow it. If you are a drug addict or an alcoholic (I am neither) you get all the help you need, you poor souls. If you want to work you are treated like a robot - my son was sent to work in a lingerie shop - and told if he did not go for the interview he would lose his benefits............I despair. Thank God I am 60 and will be dead soon because I have no hope for any of the world. I pity my children, not hope for them. What an appalling legacy for my father, grandfather and greatgrandfather who all fought in the wars - for our freedom. .”
by Freethinker, Cornwall
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 2:35PM
“@ TimV
Training and education is all good Tim, but where exactly will the education and training lead to....
What sort of jobs does the economy provide Tim. The biggest provider of employment in the UK is the surf sector, sorry I mean the service sector. All the companies that provide education in Britain like the Universities and Colleges aren't really intrested in their students, their just numbers through the door to make vast amounts of profits. I suppose we could send the unemployed to China or India... Britain hardly has any manufacturing left. Britain is turning into a third world country. We're reliant on others to manufacture goods for us, we don't have the skill base or industry to provide that fr us anymore. Its globalization that's created this mess, plain and simple. And concessive bought and sold governments have contributed to the destruction of our once great British economy. Britain has become a prime example of a slave country in the late 20th and early 21st Century.
Freethinker”
by patrick, cornwall
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 2:32PM
“one thing i have to say there are jobs out there waiting for these kids.
but they find it better on the dole get every thing that need.
are kids are wed with kids and working hard to give them a future it can be done.
just get off your ass and start looking”
by TimV, Pz
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 1:13PM
“When I left school in 1966, EVERYBODY without exception, went either into work or higher education. So how in the intervening years, have we managed to create such a disastrous situation, where such a large proportion of fit and able young people are either unable or unwilling to work? This at a time when we are told the national health system and farming would collapse without foreign workers and apparently a pressing need for other skilled workers from abroad? Part of the reason is the collapse of manufacturing, part from education's failure to impart appropriate skills and work ethic, part from a welfare culture that too easily rewards sloth. Unemployment has always been a social issue. What is new and worrying is the proportion of young people unemployed and remaining so, long term. Money from the state must be made strictly conditional on education and training for young people and concerted government action is required to make sure that the training/apprenticeships are available.”
by zoe, penwithick
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 1:05PM
“thankyou for your comments, i try to set a good example, with the way this country is going its not easy bringing up children and i think its going to get worse before it gets better but i hope i can do right and set them on the right track before they get to the teenager stage..”
by Charles Henry 1945-(diuturnity), Somersetshire
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 12:38PM
“:| Zoe, could then have been given a 'from home' task, which she would obviously have fulfilled well, with pride instead of feeling downgraded. . She would also no doubt have continued with her courses. . She has my full respect for her steadfast approach to life and to her children.”
by Gary, Saltash
Tuesday, August 10 2010, 12:33PM
“zoe, penwithick
You sound like a top mum and example for the many”