New Report Finds 20-Year-Old Torontonians Are Struggling More Than 30-Somethings
From Mental Health to Finances to Food: This Demographic Needs Support Post-COVID
August 14, 2024, (Toronto) – The newly released brief, The Hidden Cohort: Why Twentysomethings Won’t Be Fine on Their Own, leverages secondary data pulled from the 2023 Toronto’s Vital Signs Report and the over 4,000 primary data responses to the 2022 Toronto Social Capital Study.
Torontonians in their twenties are floundering more than before and significantly more than 30-somethings. From sky-high financial concerns to rock-bottom mental health, symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorders are being normalized while this generation is even less connected than last year—a surprising trend as we move further away from the worst of the pandemic. But what 20-somethings want is more face-to-face time.
"As a youth-serving organization that employs mostly staff in their 20’s, we believe radical intervention is needed to support 20-somethings navigating an ongoing mental health crisis amidst rising unaffordability,” says Shaneeza Nazseer Ally, Executive Director, For Youth Initiative. “Social networks and mutual aid support groups are needed more than ever.”
What the data says: 20-somethings are struggling more than before and more than those 30 years and older
40% are concerned about paying their rent or mortgage each month (compared to 22% of those thirty and older)
45% report their mental health is fair or poor (compared to 33% of those thirty and older)
6 times more are using food banks in 2023 than in 2019 (compared to 3 times of those 30 years and older)
These findings and more are released today in a new brief uncovering perspectives on life in the city. In this first publication in the series, “20-somethings” has been identified as a unique demographic group in need of consideration and support.
“While researching for the 2023 Toronto's Vital Signs Report, we uncovered some alarming trends about young adults and knew we needed to dig deeper into how 20-somethings in particular are faring in this city,” says Mohamed Huque, Director of Community Impact, Toronto Foundation. “While financial woes are structural and harder to solve, there are nimble solutions that can be applied in the meantime to create opportunities to connect and increase resilience. What matters now is that those who play pivotal roles in young people's wellbeing, namely employers, service providers and funders, intervene before matters get worse.”
What 20-somethings want from work:
50% want to work from home one day a week or less (compared to those aged 30 or older where 72% want to work from home at least 2 to 3 days a week)
94% want to work in jobs that allow them to be creative
“In the last year, the number of 18- to 29-year-olds coming to Frontlines has tripled in size,” says Stachen Lett-Frederick, Executive Director, Frontlines. “Stories of homelessness, poverty, despair and feeling stuck are common themes. It is difficult for these 20-somethings to be well mentally when they are not well financially.”
Find the brief and other insights from community leaders online at
www.torontofoundation.ca/why-twentysomethings-wont-be-fine-on-their-own
This report was written using data collected for the most recent versions of Toronto's Vital Signs Report (2023) as well as the Toronto Social Capital Study (2022) —both examining the wellbeing of Torontonians.
About Toronto Foundation
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