"France is sacrificing its youth"
The crisis is creating a "traumatized" generation according to the ILO.
Regis Duvignau/Reuters
One in five young people is poor, reveals Secours Catholique in its 2010 annual report published on Tuesday. Its secretary general, Bernard Thibaud, recommends extending the RSA to all young people in the workplace from 18 years of age. Interview.
As every year since 1995, Secours Catholique publishes poverty figures in France on the basis of the situations encountered in its shelters. Assessment of the year 2010: the situation of people in great difficulty deteriorates further for families with children and especially for young people.
What is the 2010 balance sheet?
Last year Secours Catholique encountered 628 situations of poverty, which represents approximately 000 million people, an increase of 1,492% compared to 2,3. What we can see is that poverty is more and more entrenched. 2009% of the people met live below the poverty line, ie 90 euros per month. And the segment of the poorest, the one who lives on only 954 euros per month, continues to grow. There is also an increase in food aid. Because with the surge in constrained expenses, the rest to live is very meager. This is very worrying because the year 550 may be even more difficult for these excluded.
You have, in your study, devote a very special place to young people, why?
First, because very little is said about this segment of the population. Yet one in five young people is poor: a jump of almost 20% in ten years. And the 18-25 age group is in the poorest segment. They bear the brunt of the economic and social crisis. They are more qualified, more qualified than previous generations, but paradoxically they are more precarious. They cumulate all the risks and in spite of an abundance of devices, the State is not very present. Three essential factors push them into poverty. First, the impoverished family, especially since it no longer receives family allowances. Then the accommodation, its access becomes impossible. And of course the job. France sacrifices its youth.
What are your suggestions?
It is imperative to build trust between young people and society. And concretely, it is absolutely necessary to set up an allowance to support the autonomy of young people. But also extend the RSA to all young people in work situation from 18 years old. Family benefits must also be maintained until the age of 20 for the last child attached to the household. And also develop work-linked training in all sectors as a gateway to employment. Not to mention subsidized jobs which seem to be an interesting alternative. As for housing, we must continue the effort to build social housing and allocate a quota of housing to young people.
Source: http://lexpansion.lexpress.fr/economie/ ... 69384.html
I don't know how the poverty line is exactly defined, but € 954 per month seems very high to me !!
Many workers who earn € 1100 spend at least € 150 just to go to work (which makes a budget of € 7 per day worked = transport + lunch) ... so many workers are poor?
Ditto for the small self-employed: all charges and taxes deducted, many touch less than € 954 net net per month (especially in times of crisis like now) !!
Then 954 € by 2 that makes 1900 € per household ... er is it poverty?