A study conducted by the Santa María la Real Foundation has found that over 82% of unemployed young people feel that their lack of employment negatively impacts their emotional well-being. This was discussed at the I Congress on Mental Health and Youth Employability in Madrid, where the link between youth employability in Spain and mental health issues was analyzed.
The study, conducted by the foundation’s Social Research Department, revealed that 82.6% of unemployed youth and 68.1% of youth in conditions of severe job insecurity believe that their employment situation has a negative impact on their emotional well-being. Furthermore, a significant percentage of unemployed and insecurely employed youth expressed feelings of worthlessness, indicating a direct correlation between job security and mental well-being.
The congress saw the participation of key agents from the educational sector, public administrations, and the third sector, who presented the needs and proposed solutions to improve intervention for young people. Additionally, a ‘Methodological transfer manual’ was presented to help professionals better integrate mental health perspectives into their programs aimed at young people.
The event also included a discussion table with representatives from the Education sector, public administrations, and third sector entities involved in programs for young people. Several young people shared their personal experiences and the challenges they face in overcoming unemployment, recommending important social changes to improve the mental well-being of young people in the workplace.
The Platform for Mental Health and Youth Employability is an online space aimed at preventing, intervening, and raising awareness about mental health problems among young people aged 16 to 35 who are dealing with unemployment or job insecurity.
The project, which will continue until 2024, is being led by the Employment and Social Inclusion Area of the Santa María la Real Foundation and is supported by the Ministry of Social Rights and Agenda 2030. EFE