The concept and determinants of aspirations. Labour market challenges and youth aspirations. Measuring youth aspirations in the world of work: an overview of existing surveys and indicators. Youth aspirations and the world of work: Global evidence. Conclusions and recommendations. Appendix A: Overview of each survey. Appendix B: Examples of survey questions. Literature list by section and sub-section. See all ILO working papers. Drew Gardiner. Dr Micheline Goedhuys. Poverty, despair and precariousness are commonly understood to deprive young people of significant opportunities, experiences and even freedom.
The effects of poverty can extend beyond economic opportunities and deprive young people of their aspirations and leave psychological scars. And especially in the context of the massive current and future changes in labour markets around the world, a vitally important question is whether it is possible to enhance the beliefs and aspirations of young people β even those most economically marginalized β in a way that helps them overcome what life throws in their path?
The answer is that, if it is possible to influence beliefs and aspirations in such a way as to lead to higher levels of labour market attainment, then appropriate policies can be developed.
As confirmed by recent trends analysis, young people in particular remain disadvantaged in the labour market. The transition from school to work is increasingly difficult, with the latest data putting the global youth unemployment rate at Three out of four young workers are employed in the informal economy, especially in the developing parts of the world.
Informal employment is one of the main factors behind a high incidence of working poverty among young people. According to International Labour Organization ILO estimates, more than a fifth of young people are not in employment, education or training, three-quarters of whom are women. Compounding this situation is the fact that the world of work is changing rapidly, with technological and climate change altering the conditions of production and labour markets undergoing substantial shifts.
