The Prince's Trust Youth Index 2013

This report is the fifth annual Youth Index carried out by YouGov on behalf of The Prince’s Trust. The index gauges how young people feel about the state of their lives today and how confident they are about their futures. The results are displayed in a happiness index and a confidence index. The primary focus of the Youth Index is measuring young people’s wellbeing. The latest results have been mapped against the indexes from the past four years to demonstrate how the wellbeing of young people has changed over time. The study explores some significant demographic differences between young people. This includes: - those not in education, employment or training (NEET) - those without a positive role model of the same gender - those who did not achieve five or more GCSEs graded A*-C - those who received free school meals Respondents are asked how happy and confident they are in different areas of their life. The responses are converted to a numerical scale, resulting in a number out of 100 - with 100 representing entirely happy or confident and zero being not at all happy or confident. Our latest report suggests an overall decline in young people’s wellbeing, with the index rating returning to the lowest figure since the study was launched. The Youth Index also reveals a considerable ‘wellbeing gap’ between young people who are in work, education or training compared to those who are not. Our findings reinforce the fact that there is still much to do to support the most disadvantaged young people who face significant barriers to finding a job.