07 Apr How online tutoring can help address unemployment in young adults
The pandemic’s disruption to society has been seismic – but unemployment is one factor that has been particularly prominent amongst young people. The career prospects of those aged 16-24 are being stifled as the pandemic continues to devastate the job market, with figures from the Office for National Statistics revealing that more people of this age group have dropped out of the UK workforce than any other.
Leading EdTech platform MyTutor has proved to be a vital resource, not just when it comes to supporting learning during the most disrupted academic period in living memory, but also during a time in which unemployment in young people has been so high. The service has been able to offer jobs to young adults who want to become tutors themselves – such as university students – thereby providing a way to earn an income in such a financially uncertain time. MyTutor has therefore created a cyclical nature of giving back in education, as tutees can catch up on their studies whilst tutors have the opportunity to help struggling students and also earn some extra cash.
The successful role of EdTech during the past year suggests it will become a more permanent part of children’s learning as we edge out of lockdown. MyTutor offers students a way to catch up on their studies with someone who is of a similar age to them and understands what they’re going through. Online tutoring not only provides educational support, but often pastoral support as children are no longer lost in a sea of faces as the one to one learning provides full attention to the student. In fact, 88% of tutees have said that online tutoring has made them more confident in their abilities.
Bertie Hubbard, co-founder of EdTech platform MyTutor, discusses the impact which the pandemic has had on the mental wellbeing of young people across the nation:
“The last twelve months have been unbelievably tough year on teens and parents alike. After months out of school, exam cancellations, not seeing friends and worrying about Covid-19, it’s no surprise that 42% parents feel their child’s mental health is the worst it has ever been. Catching up on lost learning and prepping for assessed work in the summer term will bring another set of challenges for teens.
They’re in more need than ever for some support and reassurance with their studies, and that’s exactly what our tutors offer. Our tutors are all from UK universities, and because they’re just a few years older they can easily relate to what teens are going through. With their dedicated one-to-one support, teens get some much-needed reassurance and come out with a stronger self-belief – 88% say that lessons made them feel more confident.”
