Читать книгу Social Problems in the Age of COVID-19 Vol 2 - Группа авторов - Страница 29

Educational and occupational uncertainties during the pandemic have precipitated disruptions in youth living arrangements and have delayed family formation. Policies targeted at young adults, described earlier, need to be put in place to solidify youth’s establishment in the world of work, thereby insuring their viability as romantic partners, spouses, and parents, and improving conditions for homeownership. Such policies are especially important for disadvantaged youth whose lack of educational credentials reduce their capacity to obtain jobs with sufficient income to enable home-​leaving and to promote family formation.

As noted, at the start of the pandemic, young people around the world moved home when their colleges transitioned to remote learning or when they lost jobs, no longer able to support themselves. Many will find themselves unable to live independently even as the pandemic subsides, given weak employment prospects during the expected worldwide economic downturn. Policies that stabilize employment and increase homeownershipamong young adults can help them acquire this key marker of adulthood. For example, government-​sponsored housing programsin Singapore have helped young people to purchase starter homes. The absence of similar programs in many Western countries has diminished young people’s ability to leave home and to accumulate wealth. Relieving young adult economic insecurity by instituting living wages, strengthening the safety net, and making publicly provided day care and after-​school care widely available would also increase youth’s ability to achieve the family-​related markers of adulthood, including marriage and parenthood.