We visited a Sixth Form common room at Alexandra Park School to ask students an important question:
What is the biggest challenge your generation faces today?
Scroll down and use the slider tool to see how the students responded, and to view relevant statistics and quotes that we wanted to share. The images on the left show how the students felt, while the images on the right provide more information on each issue.
Cyberbullying
We found this fact at www.bullyingstatistics.org. If you’ve been bullied, you can click here to get help. Exposure also made a video about cyberbullying – check it out if you’re interested in learning more!
Exam Stress
The National Children’s Bureau study was where we got this statistic, and we also found that 11 to 16-year-olds today see exams as the most important part of setting up their futures. Are you stressed about your exams? Leave a comment below about your experience, or write an article about it for Exposure!
Expectations
Expectations from parents and other figures in our lives can cause stress. The quote above comes from Parent Pressure, a story Exposure published about the negative outcomes of parents pushing their children into certain career paths.
Addiction And Video Games
Addiction can come in any form, and it’s much more common than many people think. Young people often struggle with addiction to drugs, alcohol, video games and the internet. The facts above can be found in articles published by Exposure and The Guardian.
Getting Into The Job Market
It’s no secret that getting a job you want has become more difficult. This leads to an increasing number of young people concerned about a lack of opportunities for employment when they leave school. Here’s an Exposure article about one way young people have tried to find jobs and failed.
Unemployment is frustrating, but it can also lead to deeper issues in young people, especially problems with mental health. According to The Prince’s Trust, many young people feel that they have nowhere to turn to express their anxiety about joblessness. Exposure offers many opportunities for young people to get the employment experience they need.
Peer Pressure
Almost every young person will experience peer pressure at some point in their lives. It’s important to be aware that it happens and be prepared to say ‘no’. The quote above is from an Exposure article about a young man who didn’t realise how peer pressure was affecting him until he had suffered the consequences.
Protecting The Environment
‘Going green’ has been a hot topic for many years. A recent Exposure article reports some alarming statistics from the World Health Organisation.
Staying Positive
While depression has always been a challenge, more young people than ever are struggling to stay positive. A study by the Nuffield Foundation lists some possible reasons why the disease has doubled in young people in the UK since the mid-1980s. If you, or someone you know, may be suffering from depression, Childline is one resource that can help.
Being Expected To Fix The Problems Created By Older Generations
Young people today grow up knowing they will have to face the economic, environmental and political problems caused by the actions of prior generations. Is the pressure to turn things around something new, or have young people always had to fix the mistakes made by their predecessors? To put the statistic above in context, check out this study.
Tuition Fees
These two students aren’t the only ones concerned with this issue. Tuition fees have been an increasingly popular topic of conversation among young people in the UK since they skyrocketed in 2012. Two different journalists at Exposure have written about it. Check out their perspectives here and here.
The Struggle Is Real
If you are affected by any of the issues listed above or want to share a story of your own, we’d love your feedback! Comment below, visit our Facebook page or tweet at us to let us know your thoughts. Remember: Exposure is always looking for young writers so if you feel strongly about something email editor@exposure.org.uk
