Over the past 10 days doing work experience with Partnership for Young London, I have taken part in a various range of activities and tasks.
One of my main tasks, was to transcribe multiple interviews about young people regarding the cost of living and their honest opinions of London. From this I learnt a lot about how young people in London view economic inequality. Every person interviewed thought that London is a phenomenally expensive city which wasn’t ideal for students and those just starting out at jobs with low wages. It was clear that everybody thought that housing was either the or one of the most expensive aspects of living in London, not allowing people to own their own property and leaving those renting in mass amounts of debt.
The theme of class also seemed to play a big role in young people’s lives, as the separation between the working and upper/middle classes was clearly visible and accentuated by the high prices of basic necessities- contributing to a lot of young people believing that money is a part of your identity.
Some people who are working mentioned that it is a struggle to get by at times because the minimum wage doesn’t match the cost of living.
Despite all of this everyone interviewed said that they would love to live or stay in London in the future, which brings us onto the positives.
London was recognised to be a wonderful and culturally diverse city with a rich mix of heritage almost all the way through it.
Some interviewees also stated how the range of opportunities in London are vast, phenomenal and unlike anywhere else in the UK.
The interviews focused on the positive attributes that young people bring to the city. A specific interviewee dabbled in the idea of naivety and, how it ‘brings no consequence’ allowing young people to say their views without the repercussions an adult would, therefore allowing them to spread their honest opinion and make a change. The young people of today have access to all types of media and are able to utilise it in ways that others probably will never be able to. As the digital world becomes more and more present in our everyday lives we have to acknowledge and accept that that 30% of the population is the future.
Maya Coombes