You'll definitely have heard of ageism but what about youngism?

Are young people discriminated against

in the same way old people often are?

It's hard to get much stats on this and it's not a designated subject

in sociology or economics

but look closely and you'll see it all around us.

I've felt it and experienced it on a personal level

and so have many of my friends.

When I started my first job I was told by a colleague

that young people don't know what real hard work looks like.

I was judged negatively before I'd even done any work.

Even when I used to go to the shop

having signs that say, "Only two schoolchildren at a time"

felt like a slap in the face.

We would never allow signs that say that about old people.

So why is it justified when it comes to young people?

And then there's youngism at a societal level.

Young people are treated differently because of their age.

They aren't given the same political rights and opportunities as adults.

While no-one is suggesting

that babies should be heading to the polls,

many do believe that 16 and 17-year-olds

should have the right to vote

as they now do in Scotland.

Young people are also treated unfairly in the workplace.

The minimum wage for young people is lower than adults

which means young people get paid less for doing the exact same job.

Is that fair?

Even in school, which is designed to help and nurture young people

they still often aren't treated with respect or taken seriously.

Young people get no real say over their curriculum.

Schools aren't designed to empower them,

they are given little practical advice to prepare them for adulthood.

We can't expect someone to suddenly become an active citizen

when they become an adult.

That process must start much earlier.

Young people are our future

but need to have the power to change their present

if we want to create a better world.

Young people have always played a significant role in shaping society.

From the Edelweiss Pirates, who opposed Hitler in the 30s,

to the March for our Lives protest against gun violence,

there is a history of young people pushing to create change

and fight for the rights of people across the world,

not just in their own communities.

Young people today are growing up knowing

that climate change is going to threaten our world.

They are likely to never buy their own home,

and if they go to university they are going to leave

with tens of thousands of pounds of debt

without any guaranteed job.

It's young people who are going to have to solve

the biggest issues we face today

all while facing these challenges.

It's no wonder there's a huge mental health crisis.

We need to treat young people with the respect they deserve

because if we don't everyone loses out.

Thanks for watching! :)

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