20 April 2021
Since the spring of 2020, everyone’s life has been turned upside down, and it is no longer possible to live as before due to travel restrictions, sanitary measures, preventive measures, etc. The pandemic is not only affecting the sick, but also puts young people on the front line, some of whom are struggling to find their place in a society that is running in slow motion.
Young people hold the key to the society of tomorrow. To succeed in shaping said society, we need to provide them with the tools to become the makers of their own history.
“Covid-19 has worsened the situation of those who were already in precarity before. There are those who had psychological difficulties or complicated relationships with their families; those who dropped out of school, sometimes simply because they did not have the necessary equipment at home; those who have no income because they have not found a job. How do you ‘become someone’, how do you make a life for yourself, when you feel that everything is blocked, that there are no prospects? It was already complicated ‘before’, imagine today…”.
Manou Hoss, president of the Red Cross chapter of Luxembourg-City and member of the Executive Committee of the Luxembourg Red Cross,
Among the initiatives of the Red Cross with young people and families, the Psy-Jeunes service supported 205 young people in psychological distress – a figure that has increased by 67% in only one year. The Perspectives Service, which provides supported housing for young adults, saw 46 new beneficiaries, representing more than 40% of the cases it manages.
“We will need more resources in the months and years to come. To help young people train themselves, put together a professional project or write a CV. The social consequences of the pandemic for young people are being felt and will be felt for a long time. The sooner we act, the slighter the gravity of the consequences will be. I sincerely believe that they must be part of everyone’s priorities and commitment… at least that will be the case for me. By helping them, they will become autonomous, and will one day no longer need help… and will be able to help others.”
Manou Hoss, president of the Red Cross chapter of Luxembourg-City and member of the Executive Committee of the Luxembourg Red Cross,