MONTREAL — Youth unemployment is higher among anglophone Quebeckers than francophones, and the resulting level of psychological depression is higher too, a new study released by Youth Employment Services indicates.
“More and more young people are experiencing mental health issues like stress, depression, suicidal thoughts as a result of their unemployment and underemployment,” said Iris Unger, the executive director of Youth Employment Services.
Some numbers from the study to consider:
- Youth unemployment is 11 percent for French speakers, 14 percent for English speakers
- English speakers have a greater prevalence of mental health problems (7 percent) than French speakers (4.4 percent)
- More than half of the people Youth Employment Services counted for the study have university degrees, and some 17 percent have master’s degrees
In Little Burgundy, a traditionally anglophone, working-class neighbourhood, the linkage between depression and unemployment is felt frequently.
“I find there is a certain sense of hopelessness at times,” said Rosemary Segee, of the Little Burgundy Employment Centre.
For visible minorities, this is a problem that can be especially acute. “The rates of low income tend to be higher in those communities, and there tends to be greater problems with employment levels and gaining access to the labour market,” said Jim Carter, of the Community Health and Social Services Network.
Perhaps the most dangerous part of this trend is the effect it could have on brain drain in the province. Newly minted university graduates are frequently leaving Quebec to find work.
“They go away,” said Michael Farkas, the director of Youth in Motion. “They’re leaving this province in droves right now because of the difficulty in getting a job.”
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