Young people worried about becoming a "lost generation" in Covid pandemic

A partnership of youth organizations united under Young People Think Tank Corona Crisis presented a report to Prime Minister Mark Rutte listing young people's main concerns in this pandemic. These include looming study delays, loneliness and isolation, and not being able to find a job, Metro Nieuws reported.

"We young people do not want to become a lost generation," Think Tank chairman Maurice Knijnenburg said to the newspaper. Due to this crisis, many young people have had to put big decisions - like getting married, starting a family, buying a house - on hold. Many are also worried that a proper approach to the climate crisis is being put on the back burner with all attention focused on short-term problems. 

In the report handed to the Prime Minster, the young people call for attention to these problems. They also suggest ways to repair some of the damages, ranging from a more flexible handling of student debts, to making it more attractive to hire young people through subsidized work experience. About 2,500 young people participated in the report, by giving their opinions and suggestions through an app.

According to Knijnenburg, the biggest problem that cannot be easily solved is loneliness in corona times. There is really only one solution to this, he said to Metro - getting out of this crisis as soon as possible. If lockdown is no longer necessary, people can see each other again. "Young people are social animals and like to be together. You cannot easily replace that with digital alternatives," he said.