A new report from the Ministry of Employment reveals an alarming connection between young people’s mental distress and future unemployment. According to the report “Status on the labor market,” which Berlingske has gained insight into, it turns out that only 56 percent of the young people who reported poor mental health ten years ago are employed today. In comparison, it is 73 percent among their peers who did not report the same health problems. The report also highlights that the proportion of young people between 16 and 29 years old who rated their mental health as poor in 2021 is double what it was in 2013.
This increase in mental health problems among young people is concerning to Minister of Employment, Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen (Social Democrats). “When we see more young people reporting poorer health, we need to anticipate that the problem may grow. I fear that it could affect how many young people lack an education and end up on public assistance,” the minister told Berlingske.
The new report from the Ministry of Employment, to be published on Tuesday, focuses on the long-term consequences of mental distress in youth and emphasizes the need to address these challenges to ensure a more stable future for young people in the labor market.