Generation Y – young adults born between the early 80s and late 90s – are thought to be the first generation in modern times who will be less wealthy than their parents. Faced with the perfect storm of a lack of jobs, large debts and high property costs, Generation Y are up against it.
The Guardian is to spend the coming months investigating and reporting on the predicament, but we need you to help shape our coverage.
For Hanna Alexandersson, 24, who lives in Stockholm, a lack of job security and a guaranteed income is one of the major stresses in her life.
“We have something called ‘SMS employment’ and it is a really big problem. You get a text message every morning with the offer of a shift for that day. The person who replies fastest gets it. This means you are not employed, it’s just one shift at a time. If you turn work down, for whatever reason, you can expect not to get any more offers. You can’t plan your future, and you don’t know what your income will be.”
In the UK, 34-year-old Guardian commenter getebi feels trapped by the high costs of renting privately.
“The cost of renting privately means my husband and I have had very little opportunity to save for a deposit. It is depressing to live at the whim of landlords … Now that we have children this insecurity has increased pressure and stress.”
If you’re a Gen Y-er (aka Generation Maybe in Germany, or Generation Nini in Spanish), tell us what issues most affect your life. What are you worried about, and what changes would make your life better? Share your thoughts by filling in the form below – you do not need to answer every question – and tell us what issues matter to you, and what you want us to cover.
