youth unemployment

• Joan Walsh provides some interesting food for thought regarding the health of the Obama coalition as we move toward 2012. How might this coalition of disaffected Republicans, progressives, young voters, first time voters, labor, and African Americans and Latinos look this time around, and more importantly, will it be as powerful?
  

  "One big problem for Obama is that he assembled an unprecedented electoral coalition in 2008, but it wasn't a governing coalition. Progressives like to think of the themselves as the president's base, and it's partly true: Obama won thanks to an unrivaled turnout of young voters, first time voters, African Americans and Latinos; and an energetic labor effort. But they – we – weren't enough by ourselves. He also did well with independents and even some Republicans who were ashamed of what the Bush Cheney years did to their party. Predictably, a lot of those voters are going home now. I'm not sure they'll be entirely happy with what they'll find when they get there, or whether they'll discover the Tea Party ransacked the place. But they're uncomfortable with the way Obama used government to solve the banking crisis, stimulate the ailing economy and extend health insurance to more people. Of course, on the left he hasn't done enough on those fronts. When both sides are carping, the common wisdom goes, that means you must be doing something right. I'm not sure that's true when you're facing re-election."

• Rock the Vote President Heather Smith argues that state voting systems restrict young Americans, and demands improvement in The Hill. The youth movement can't talk about this enough!
• Colbert tackles the youth vote:

  "The GOP brand is about as popular with kids as an episode of "60 Minutes" hosted by a tube of Sensodyne."

  
  

  The Colbert Report
  Tags: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

• Does Facebook exacerbate our society's obsession with "Keeping up with the Jones'?" This article suggests that yes, it does, and the consequences could lead to depression.
• Meanwhile, here is a report suggesting that for all the widgets, tools, and gadgets meant to connect young people to various initiatives online, they won't improve political participation in young people.
• It's nothing new, but it probably remains to be the largest story impacting youth today: unemployment.
• Just in case you didn't see it yesterday, an interesting video from Lee Camp calling on the Millennial Generation to get out of the metaphorical basement.
• 20 Questions with Paul Ryan, including, "Do you think the GOP could win back young voters?"
• KPAX out of Montana discusses the state's #4 ranking on the Rock the Vote Scorecard.

• New Grads adapt to Job Market Realities is a piece Judy Woodruff posts for PBS's New Hour.
  

  "Reports have shown that for the past couple years that they have joined the older generation in taking a hit. A large number have moved back home with their parents after graduation; another large percentage have had to settle for lower paying jobs, or for jobs in fields outside their area of main interest. It’s too early to know what this means for their confidence in the future, but studies show that getting a late start on the job of one’s choice - and starting at a lower salary level - often means lower total earnings over the course of a career because of the difficulty in playing catch-up.

  There’s also the question commonly asked of Baby Boomers: do you think your children and their generation will do as well as you have? Lately, the answer has been “no” - not surprising given the weakness of the recovery. But I found this pessimistic view may have deeper roots than the current economy: A national poll reported by NBC News in July 2006, well before the financial collapse, reported that nearly two-thirds of American adults that year didn’t believe life for their children's generation would be better than it had been for them." Go read the rest

• Study saying debt is "rewarding" to youth high on BS radar. If you missed it yesterday - the study that everyone is reporting on is 1. out of date and 2. not reflective on anxieties youth face when they're not economically stable. Don't be fooled...
• SWAT Team raid for "unpaid student loans" not the full story but fools journalists across the country. We weren't the only ones who got owned. The Department of Education released a statement saying that they don't issue warrants for defaulted student loans but instead for criminal actions. Since this is an ongoing criminal investigation ... Ed can't comment further. Until then loads of our people will sleep knowing that The Man isn't going to break down the door for student loan payments.

Actually one of the best commentaries on this whole topics has come form Cryn Johannsen - which I encourage you to read.

• Students crushed by high interest rates. Doesn't make the anxieties any better that a SWAT team won't come repelling through the windows all Mission Impossible style...

  For example ... did you know that if you can't pay your student loan and you're under a mountain of debt and you file for bankruptcy that it doesn't matter you still have to pay your student loan back?

  "Rules put in place about 13 years ago under changes to the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act put student debt on par with unpaid child support and court settlements based on crimes you may have committed.

  "They are putting student loans up there with criminal behaviour,” says Carleton University professor Saul Schwartz, who has studied the issue for years and says about 12% to 15% of student loans will never get repaid. That’s about double the rate of the general population, he says.

  It’s no easy route for a student to go bankrupt because of changes to the act in 1998. Up until then, student debt was no different from any other kind of debt and completely forgiven once there was a bankruptcy discharge.

  But the act was changed to say you had to wait 10 years after leaving school before you could apply to have your student debt forgiven. That was lowered to seven years in 2008.

  "There is no good reason why student loans should be treated differently than any other loan," says Prof. Schwartz, adding that even taxes are forgiven by the government in a bankruptcy. "That’s the basic point that should be made.”

• On a lighter note... Study: Minority youth spend more than half their day consuming media.
  

  "Asian and Hispanic youth are particularly avid social networkers"

  I'm sure there's a joke I could make about our fellow FM blogger Karlo on here, but I'm too busy consuming media to think about it...

• Risky Behaviors more common among LGB youth. Risky behaviors include such things as Glee, excessive media consumption, attraction to flair, and obviously sarcasm. Kidding... Risky behaviors are categorized by the CDC below. The piece doesn't include the extent to which these so called "risky" behaviors are done by non-LGB students. (editor note: The CDC did have numbers (PDF) - but this article doesn't - lame.
  

  "
  1. behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries
  2. behaviors that contribute to violence
  3. behaviors related to attempted suicide
  4. tobacco use
  5. alcohol use
  6. other drug use
  7. sexual behaviors
  8. dietary behaviors
  9. physical activity and sedentary behaviors
  10. weight management

  "

• OK back to the money thing... here are some Steps to make good on a defaulted student loan. Might I also suggest selling internal organs - perhaps even a sibling. And if that doesn't work here's another: In Student Loan hell? Here's how to get out
• Interest rates on student loans: when things get fishy. Everyone is out to get you. No seriously... everyone is out to get you... but primarily for your money. The Christian Science Monitor tells us:
  

  Interest rates can change when consolidating private and subsidized loans. Be sure to have the consolidation and the interest rates documented.

• For profit colleges actively manage stats to keep federal dollars flowing, internal documents show. See.. I told you everyone is out to get your money.... And these guys will do whatever it takes to make sure they get students' money and federal tax dollars.
• Florida voting systems suck for youth. Congratulations Florida!!! You still suck! Stay tuned for Craig's full report on Rock the Vote's ranking of of states and their voting systems impact on young voters.
• And I saved the best for last!! How the Next US Economy is Already Failing
  

  "Indeed, things might look a hell of a lot worse for everybody, precisely because of the inequity that remains baked in. Stokely Baksh’s infographic showed last week that today’s graduates stride into a job market that is smaller than it has been in generations. Meanwhile, youth unemployment is higher than it’s been since economists began tracking it, with black and Latino young people of all education levels lagging far behind whites in their ability to get a job. The next generation, in all its diversity, faces a difficult future.

  I explored that difficult future in more depth in a special section of this month’s National Journal, which focuses on “The Next Economy.” In my essay, I explain that, regardless of the Millennials’ diversity, they exist inside an economy that continues to disadvantage people of color. I write,

  The pressing question, however, is how many of these young people will truly join the middle class. Will they reap the benefits of their parents’ labor and achieve an economic security that enables them to buy homes, start businesses, and take road trips even with gasoline at $4 a gallon? This is where the complexities of America’s racial politics, past and present, cloud the way."

Have a good day everybody....

We're doing Briefcase Brigades (that's right!) nationally during Congressional offices on Wednesday, April 27 to dramatize the youth job crisis and the need for Congress to invest to create jobs instead of cutting cutting cutting.

The amazing organizer Billy Wimsatt says there are details to come.

Great story on CNN about how a group of young entrepreneurs are working with their local Chamber of Commerce and City Council to keep young people in the city. A lot of politicians pay a lip service saying they want to help keep young workers in their state but here's a group of young people who are actually doing it.

Learn more about MIX Santa Fe on their website and follow them on twitter and the facebook.

What else is new, right?

NPR covers the continued rise of unemployment for 16-19 year olds, especially among African-American teens.

On Friday, the Labor Department reported that the while the country gained 162,000 jobs in March, the overall unemployment rate remained unchanged at 9.7 percent. And it's much tougher for teenagers; The jobless rate for those between ages 16 and 19 rose to 26.1 percent. For African-American teens, it's even worse: That rate stands at 41.1 percent.

"They are competing with people who have experience, and they simply don't have it," says Deborah Shore, founder of Sasha Bruce Youthwork, a group that provides housing and workforce training to homeless kids in Washington, D.C. "It's the worst unemployment for teens ever."

The longer they go without work experience, the harder it will be for them to find jobs in the future, she says.

Unfortunately, the teen job market is one of the last indicators of a healthy economy, with many white youth finding jobs before the African-American demographic. Because of racial discrimination, a lack of resources, and fewer connections, African-American youth are one of the most disadvantaged groups of job seekers.

One way to assist these young people is by passing legislation with comprehensive youth programs and public works projects included.

There is at least one proposal before the House that would devote $8 billion to year-round youth training and employment. Other proposals in the Senate have been blocked, although congressional staffers supportive of such measures believe Congress may still pass funding for youth programs through an amendment to other, broader jobs bills.

However, as the article points out, summer vacation is quickly approaching. Will our representatives act in enough time?

It's important to remember that while changing the way college students finance their education is important, there are less privileged youth out there who want to get to work but are devoid of opportunities. What are we doing to help them?

Continued coverage of A Better Deal brings us a great video of participants and some of the topics discussed.

I just returned from the House Education and Labor Committee hearing on youth unemployment. This hearing is the follow-up to the 80 Million Strong National Jobs Summit, which convened 100 young leaders from 30 states to discuss problems and solutions about youth jobs. Since the Summit, youth unemployment and underemployment have risen. In fact, this past summer, typically the best time for young people to find jobs, was the worst on record. From the Bureau of Labor Statistics summer youth unemployment report:

The youth unemployment rate was 18.5 percent in July 2009, the highest July rate on record for the series, which began in 1948. As with the decline in employment, the increase in youth unemployment in the summer of 2009 reflected a weak job market. The July 2009 unemployment rates for young men (19.7 percent), women (17.3 percent), whites (16.4 percent), blacks (31.2 percent), Asians (16.3 percent), and Hispanics (21.7 percent) increased from a year earlier.

Note that unemployment was up for all young people, not just specific demographics. In his opening remarks, Chairman Miller stated that "young people are the hardest hit". Simple and right to the point.

The first witness to testify, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employment and Training, Jane Oates, said that the stimulus funds sent to states did create jobs and that a detailed report was still being prepared and actual numbers were not yet available. Anecdotally, she's received positive feedback from young people who got jobs through stimulus funds. She noted that in many of the letters she had received from young workers, there were stories of saving money for college or for helping out the family during hard times. If not for the stimulus funds, it's likely that youth unemployment would have been higher and all the negative externalities bundled with it. Representative Bobby Scott quoted a Los Angeles-based community organization's motto that the best way to stop a bullet is with a job.

Another committee member, Representative Marcia Fudge, explained that her first jobs when she was a young person were important to her, equipping her with the experiences and skills that could, and did, carry her forward. With a passion that seemed to make time stop so that we, the audience, could prepare for what she would say next, she talked about pride. The pride of working and contributing to the community in a positive way. That feeling of pride in work knows no generational boundaries. Matt Segal of 80 Million Strong, a witness at the hearing, testified to that fact when he said that the Millennial generation is enthusiastic about young people doing their part, through hard work, to get this country out of recession. He then presented some of our generation's ideas, collected from the 80MS National Jobs Summit.

Yet, one of the big questions that was not answered directly in the hearing is how to deal effectively with the transition of a fourth generation, Millennials, into the workforce. It's almost like there is an elevator so full that others are left to take the stairs, even though they contributed to the construction of said elevator. So, it sounds like we need a bigger elevator, and luckily there's the spirit to make that happen. In his testimony, Segal noted that young people are increasingly interested in public service careers and in such expanding fields as healthcare, cyber security, green jobs and social entrepreneurship.

Much of the hearing focused specifically on low-income youth and youth of color, but 80MS is talking about a broader, much more comprehensive jobs agenda that aims to incorporate our generation's varied talents and skills towards the construction of a 21st century economy. Poverty and racism are problems not unique to today's young people, but the current state of joblessness, debt and lack of opportunity for young people of all backgrounds are specific to our times; right now, we need a solution for a generational workforce problem that threatens to leave America's youth worse off than their parents.

Great news! If you are in the DC area, please consider attending the hearing tomorrow at 10 AM.

Congress to Hold Hearings on Youth Unemployment
Leading Youth Organizations Score Major Victory in Promoting Innovative Jobs Proposals

Contact: Matthew Segal, SAVE executive director, 847-502-5012, matthew.segal@savevoting.org;
Hilary Doe, Roosevelt Institute Campus Network director, 419-350-5169, hdoe@rooseveltinstitute.org;
Maya Enista, Mobilize.org CEO, 202- 352-3641, maya@mobilize.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 30, 2009

WASHINGTON, DC- The Committee on Education and Labor in the U.S. House of Representatives has announced it will hold a hearing this Thursday, October 1st at 10am entitled “Ensuring Economic Opportunities for Young Americans.” The hearing was scheduled as a result of a conference organized by the 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs Coalition, which convened hundreds of young leaders in the U.S Capitol to urge Congress to examine the disproportionate effects of the economic recession on young Americans.

Data shows that youth unemployment is nearly double the national average:

* 18% of all 16-24 year olds are unemployed compared to a 9.7% national average (BLS)
* Young African-American unemployment has climbed to 27.3% (BLS)
* Young Latino unemployment stands at 21.37% (BLS)
* Undergraduate debt from student loans averages $27,000 per graduate
* $2000 dollars is the average amount of credit card debt by the age of 24
* 30% of young people are uninsured, the highest of any age group, according to the Kaiser Foundation

To address this crisis head-on, nearly thirty of the nation’s leading youth organizations launched the 80 Million Strong for Young American Jobs Coalition, working collaboratively to endorse various policy platforms that will create jobs and economic opportunity for the 80 million members of the millennial generation.

The coalition’s proposals center on four areas: increasing entrepreneurship resources, student debt reform, access to public service careers, and the creation of “mission critical” jobs that tap young talents.

“In a recession, young people are great sources of innovation and entrepreneurship - yet because of predatory lending and debt, our generation is also more hamstrung at an earlier age than we have ever been. We need some breathing room in which to create new ideas for a new economy," said 80MS national co-chair Matthew Segal, executive director of Student Association for Voter Empowerment (SAVE). "Young people are inherently entrepreneurial. We need a legislative environment that supports, not burdens, young ideas,” stated Segal.

"In order to strengthen the American economy, we must invest in young adults today," said 80MS co-chair Hilary Doe, director of Roosevelt Institute Campus Network. "Our parents and grandparents have been hit hard by this crisis; their security and retirement is on the line. The Millennial generation is already stepping up by going home and working hard to support their families. We cannot leave this young generation crippled with debt and waiting for jobs; we need to help them stand up and lead the new economy, lifting the burden off all generations in the process."

"Whether it be providing grant money to low-income youth for historically unpaid service and internship positions or increasing access to community college, many Americans need more opportunities to get the skills and training they need to build the 21st century economy that will power our country for the future," said Maya Enista, CEO of Mobilize.org and co-chair of the 80MS coalition. "And by investing in mission critical sectors like health care, national security, and green jobs, our Congress can further grow our economy by opening new opportunities where young people are ready to serve, and where our nation most needs our labor."

News of Thursday’s hearing comes just weeks after the 80 Million Strong Coalition issued a formal letter to House Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller (D-CA) requesting a hearing to exhibit the financial concerns of young Americans. “This is a big victory for young people,” said Matthew Segal, “we are confident that Thursday’s hearing will demonstrate how our generation has developed and expanded its record-breaking civic engagement since the 2008 election.”

For more info, please visit http://80millionstrong.org