Transition to Adulthood Tougher for Disadvantaged Youth

For youth who grew up under adversity, the transition to adulthood in the late teens is a critical stage.
Transition to Adulthood Tougher for Disadvantaged Youth
Youth coming from a dysfunctional background have a hard time transitioning to adulthood, says recent report. Paula Mason
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<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/youth.JPG" alt="Youth coming from a dysfunctional background have a hard time transitioning to adulthood, says recent report. (Paula Mason)" title="Youth coming from a dysfunctional background have a hard time transitioning to adulthood, says recent report. (Paula Mason)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1831554"/></a>
Youth coming from a dysfunctional background have a hard time transitioning to adulthood, says recent report. (Paula Mason)
For youth who grew up under adversity, the transition to adulthood in the late teens is a critical stage for helping them turn their lives around, recent research has found.

The report, entitled Listening to Vulnerable Youth: Transitioning to Adulthood in British Columbia, said that while disadvantaged youth “want and dream of better futures,” many who left school early, lack family support, or are involved in risky or even criminal behaviour face an uphill battle.

“They are struggling to reconnect to their families or to anyone who cares. Coming from backgrounds of family dysfunction, abuse, discrimination, bullying, homophobia, homelessness, drugs, criminal activities and school dropout, they arrive at the threshold of adulthood with few opportunities for re-entry,” the report said.

“One of the main problems they encounter is the loss of all support services when they turn 19,” said University of Victoria psychologist Bonnie Leadbeater, co-author of the research.

The report summarizes the results of consultations with 75 youth aged 14 to 28.

The research recommends broader change in areas such as providing life-skills for the transition to adulthood, extending youth services to older ages, integrating access to services, providing permanent life mentors, extending low-cost housing to youth, and combating bullying and discrimination in schools.

In addition, “[greater] appreciation of what these youth have been through is needed so that we can be sensitive to their needs and try to do something more worthwhile,” said University of Victoria psychologist Bonnie Leadbeater, co-author of the research.

“These kids have been thought of as ‘good for nothing,’ ‘lazy,’ ‘it’s too late.’ People don’t always appreciate the disadvantage that they’re coming from and how hard it has been for some of these kids. It’s as if they’ve somehow in adolescence just chosen to be ‘good for nothing,’ dropping out of school,” she said.

“It doesn’t work like that … You’re building on a path where either you’ve had supportive family and many advantages, or a path where you’ve had nothing and possibly abusive relationships. Or parents who themselves weren’t able to parent because of alcoholism, mental health problems, poverty, or whatever.”

‘I lost my family and everything’


What stand out in the report are poignant voices from the youth themselves that tell of uncertainty, fear, anxiety, and struggle—but also of recovery, resilience, and hope.

“I’ve had a lot of experience, but that doesn’t mean I know how to act like an adult,” one said.

Another said, “I only make like $8.50. And I live on my own, and I have to live off that. It’s stupid, and I have been doing it for like two years …”

“Even phoning like Kids Help Phone … I have had a few people hang up on me. … You are crying. And at one point I was almost ready to lose it and I was on the edge literally and she was like: ‘Oh, you’re 21. I can’t help you,’” said another youth.

Speaking about the meaning of family, one said: “I hit rock bottom … I was into drugs and everything else, and actually this program saved my life. I lost my family and everything, but the way that I am looking at it now is just ‘cause they are blood doesn’t mean they are family. And I am starting to find out actually who my family is.”

“Some of the quotes are pretty heart-wrenching, particularly some of the bullying that these kids experienced at school, that made school a hostile environment for them,” Ms. Leadbeater said.

These young people miss a lot of ordinary life, she said. This includes life skills that their more advantaged peers learn at home or at school to prepare them to live independently as adults, such as paying bills, managing a budget, buying groceries, cooking, career planning, accessing healthcare, finding housing, and getting a job.