Covid-19: emerging needs for unemployed and economically inactive individuals

ABSTRACT

This Voices article presents emerging findings from research investigating the consequences of Covid-19 on individuals engaged on employability programmes in the United Kingdom. It outlines the challenges presented by ‘lockdown’ restrictions, as introduced to reduce the spread of Covid-19, on the delivery of employability programmes. Individuals engaged on such programmes experience a wealth of needs that have been compounded by Covid-19, resulting in new, emerging needs relating to personal wellbeing, social isolation, and confidence. Without effective and innovative support, individuals experiencing unemployment and economic inactivity will undoubtedly experience increased inequality; this inequality impacts on family, with individuals experiencing isolation from such, which in turn reduces wellbeing and stimuli, and indeed work, with Covid-19 compounding challenges in securing employment.

KEYWORDS:

• Covid-19
• employability
• unemployment
• economic inactivity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Big Lottery Fund: [Grant Number N/A].

Notes on contributors

Claire Paterson-Young

Claire Paterson-Young is a Senior Researcher at the Institute for Social Innovation and Impact (ISII). Claire’s research examined how social impact measurement as a form of organisational performance management can enhance outcomes for children in custody. A key feature of her research is the development of social impact measurement frameworks that aid organisations to identify the intended and unintended impact of interventions.