Hey everyone, welcome to your Friday MashUp for April 19-23, 2010.
Youth Joblessness Surging, OECD Warns
The OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) warns that youth joblessness is on the rise in the industrialized world and threatens to create prolonged unemployment for youth (ages 15-24) that could have long-term consequences beyond the next two years. OECD is urging the industrialized countries to take steps now to prevent a potential “lost generation” of workers as studies indicate that long periods of unemployment in teens and 20′s lead to joblessness and less earnings as they get older (presumably because once they are no longer youths, the job market assumes that they must either have the skills already and therefore reducing entry-level opportunities or their resumes are sparse on relevant experience).
It goes without saying that the most at risk are less-educated or marginalized youth as they would be the least competitive whether it is due to lack of opportunity, circumstances or other factors. Tackling the unemployment problem is of course one of the key priorities of any government but this goes to show that it is critical to tend to the youth as much as any other demographic. The OECD report indicates that governments must take pro-active steps towards supporting youth during their job searches, providing monetary incentives for existing employers to train and then retain apprentices (along with the financial rewards gained from such action anyway) and to help youth develop the necessary contacts to continue seeking permanent jobs that lead to career prospects.
Not to take internet commentary seriously, but assertions about the laziness, entitlement and manners of today’s youth are not only false but potentially damaging. The ageist stereotypes about youth in the 15-24 demographic are irrelevant in the face of reports like these since this report clearly demonstrates that the odds are against youth. Moreover, comparisons to the past are immensely unhelpful (not to mention falsely nostalgic) since the economic circumstances are not remotely the same. It ought be be noted as well that today’s middle-age cohort will be tomorrow’s senior cohort and today’s generation of youth will take their place. In other words, if we don’t help the youth of today to obtain and retain viable jobs, we’re all in trouble.
Read the full OECD report here.
Burma’s Hip-hop Resistance Spreads Message of Freedom
The Guardian reports of the use of Hip Hop as a means of spreading resistance and hope to the citizens of Myanmar in their long struggle against the military junta that continues to oppress and suppress freedom in any form. This young 29 year old hip hop artist called Thxa Soe has daringly mixed traditional Myanmarese music with hip-hop sounds a la Dr Dre and Snoop Dogg in getting his message out.
So naturally, the government has banned most of his music but that doesn’t stop Thxa Soe and others like him to continue performing and dropping their cds wherever they can.
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: there is a reason why hip-hop continues to be the language and music for change. Disenfranchised youth finds power and meaning in the lyrics and draws hope and inspiration from the words. It is essentially revolutionary poetry set to a hard beat. For marginalized and disenfranchised youth, this is their voice.
“We welcome young people to participate in our movement against the regime,” a performer known only as YG says. “Our songs honour mothers and revolutionists. We want young people to be active and interested in politics. Every youngster can be an activist.”
There you have it; this week’s Friday MashUp. See you next week!
