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#raisetherate
This week Project Youth join in a national campaign to #raisetherate of Youth Allowance and Newstart to cover the basics.
As we confront the post-pandemic economic crisis, more people than ever before will struggle to find paid work. Youth unemployment is at distressing levels.
The Youth Allowance and Newstart rate was raised during COVID to assist youth facing disadvantage. This was a welcome increase, which gave some of our young people disposable income for the first time.
We wanted to start by telling you a few stories of what our young people did with this extra cash.
Jessica was able to see a medical professional about a long-term health condition, which has been of great concern to her for years. The condition is not life threatening, but requires seeing a specialist doctor – a luxury she was not able to afford before now.
Jon saw this as an opportunity to create a savings account. He usually lives week to week, and this is the first time he has been able to set money aside. He is now saving up for a car, which will increase his job prospects.
Mikey has always had big dreams. The increase in youth allowance has enabled him to start his own business upcycling old clothes from thrift shops. Imagine how many other aspiring entrepreneurs are hiding in the shadows of debt and poverty.
Mo wanted to move into private rental for months, but could not afford the bond or furniture. The raise has allowed her to set up her own life independent of Project Youth’s housing, in private rental.
Lack of sufficient income also affects quality of life. Television, takeaways, tickets to the cinema. These simple pleasures are dependent on disposable income. Yes, some of these things are trivial, but they also contribute to a quality of life that most people take for granted.
It is also worth mentioning that disposable income could be the key to rebuilding our economy post-pandemic – food for thought.
This is not to mention the young people unable to make ends meet to cover the basic essentials of food and housing. At the very least, shouldn’t the allowance support young people to live without the crippling fear of missing payments of bills, of being evicted from housing, of debt?
Wouldn’t it be amazing to afford the cost of the train fare to work without having to sacrifice breakfast? Perhaps you’re really hungry that morning so you’d rather commit crime by jumping the ticket gate?
Hunger and food poverty is rife during the pandemic. An online charity directory reported more than 130,000 searches – over 2000 a day – for food charities in just two months. One charity reported an 80% rise in referrals for people seeking support. Raising the rate would ease the pressure on food banks and organisations like ours that struggle to meet demand for emergency food relief.
Additional income can inspire young entrepreneurs, and it can give young people access to basic human rights like health care. It allows young people to save, and eases the anxiety of living week to week. It curbs crime, assists in rebuilding the economy and it improves quality of life.
Above all, it means that young people can afford food, rent, and transport to work.
We are campaigning to ensure every young person has enough income to cover the basics of life – is that too much to ask, Mr Morrison?
What you can do:
Sign the statement https://raisetherate.org.au/
Contact your local political leaders, for example: Write to, call or tweet your local MPs, or political leaders such as Treasurer John Frydenberg or Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston
Follow this link for more info about how to take action https://raisetherate.org.au/national-day-of-action/
SHARE THIS POST to show your support 💪🏽
Project Youth helps young people deal with and get through difficult situations.
Project Youth acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land on which we work. We acknowledge that this always was and always will be Aboriginal land and we pay our respects to Elders past, present & future.
