ACT TODAY, CHANGE TOMORROW: A NEW GENERATION OF APOSTLES SPEAKS OUT!
The Real Lives of Young People
In 2007 – 2008 Young Christian Students, Young Christian Workers and the International Catholic Youth Organisations conducted the Real Life Survey of over 2800 young people in 46 countries. Young people aged 16 to 30 were asked about the issues and concerns that affect their lives. Surveys were collected in a variety of settings, from schools and churches to prisons and police academies.
The Real Life Survey findings reveal both the joys and struggles of being a young person in today's world. They describe what we value about our lives: access to what we need, relationships and a sense of meaning and integrity. They also depict the challenges we face: barriers to attaining what we need, the breakdown of relationships, and confusion about how to make good decisions.
Many young people described positive experiences of access to work, education and leisure. Others are unable to access what they need. Young people talked about the challenges of unemployment, poor working conditions and low wages. They discussed barriers to adequate education including high cost and deficiencies in education systems. They also talked about the high cost of living and housing, and health challenges such as HIV/AIDS. A number of people linked these challenges to broader issues of global and local inequality, poor governance and corruption.
By far the greatest sources of happiness for most young people are relationships and community. Family, friends and faith communities offer young people support and a sense of belonging. However young people do not always enjoy good relationships due to personal conflicts, violence and social prejudices based on race, religion, age, appearance, subculture, gender or sexuality. Many pointed to a prevailing individualism in society that is weakening communities.
Young people are also aware of their need to live with meaning, purpose and integrity. They spoke of satisfaction in work, study, and helping others. Some young people enjoy a deep sense of spirituality, and spoke about the positive impact of their relationship with God on their lives, including their awareness of their own spiritual ‘mission'.
At the same time, a large number of young people described the challenge of making good decisions in a variety of areas. Decisions around career and study, prioritization of time, and personal moral choices leave many young people feeling confused or frustrated. This confusion appears to result from personal and social influences such as lack of self-acceptance and mental illness, pressure from family and peers, and pressure in work and study, sometimes resulting from consumerism and too much value placed on outward signs of ‘success'. Some young people traced these challenges also to the decline in religion as a source of guidance and meaning for young people, due to the gap between religious faith and secular culture, and between many young people and the Church. YCS and YCW would like to thank the many thousands of individuals and communities around Australia and the world that assisted with the Real Life Survey.
|
