Australian Catholics urged to stand with young people

In a statement for the Feast of St Joseph the Worker on May 1, the Australian Bishops’ Commission for Social Justice, Mission and Service expressed solidarity with young people challenged by new technologies in the job market and finding secure work.

Commission chair Bishop Tim Harris noted that youth unemployment remains significantly higher than the national average in Australia at a time of rapid transformation of work.

Recent data from the Australian Youth Barometer has shown that 85 per cent of young people in Australia experienced financial insecurity in the past year. Around two-thirds of young people are underemployed and nearly half have experienced unemployment within a year.

Unemployment, the bishop stressed, “shapes how young people see themselves and their future. It influences decisions about study, housing, relationships and family life. It can bring anxiety and uncertainty at a time when hope should be growing.”

“Work is more than a means of earning a living. It is fundamental to human dignity and participation in society. Work is part of God’s plan for human flourishing,” the statement said.

Bishop Harris, who is Bishop of Townsville, appealed to the faithful to pray for young people seeking work, for those experiencing insecurity or uncertainty, and for those who feel excluded or discouraged. The challenges facing young people today require a shared response, the bishop urged.

“Employers,” he said, are called to provide “fair wages, secure conditions and meaningful opportunities. Governments are called to ensure policies that protect workers and promote participation.

“Communities and parishes are called to accompany young people with care and encouragement. Families are called to nurture hope, resilience and purpose. Together, we can build a society where work truly reflects the dignity of every person.”

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Bishop urges Catholic faithful to ‘stand with’ young people (By Sarah Mac Donald/The Tablet)