Abstract
Purpose: Youth and young adults are particularly vulnerable to the socio-economic impacts of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19). The purpose of this study was to explore barriers to school and employment for youth with and without a disability during the pandemic. Methods: This qualitative comparison study involved in-depth interviews with 35 youth and young adults (18 with a disability; 17 without), aged 16–29 (mean age 23). An interpretive, thematic analysis of the transcripts was conducted. Results: Our findings revealed several similarities and some differences between youth and young adults with and without disabilities regarding barriers to school and employment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Key themes related to these barriers involved: (1) difficult transition to online school and working from home (i.e., the expense of setting up a home office, technical challenges, impact on mental health), (2) uncertainty about employment (i.e., under-employment, difficult working conditions, difficulty finding work, disability-related challenges) and (3) missed career development opportunities (i.e., canceled or reduced internships or placements, lack of volunteer opportunities, uncertainties about career pathway, the longer-term impact of the pandemic). Conclusion: Our findings highlight that youth and young adults with disabilities may need further support in engaging in meaningful and accessible vocational activities that align with their career pathway.
Highlights
Published: 20 October 2021The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020 [1]
The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, has had a significant global economic impact [3] where many people have lost their jobs or had reduced hours, creating financial uncertainty [4]
Assisting youth on their path towards adulthood and employment or post-secondary education is important because there are significant negative longer-term consequences in adulthood regarding employment and socio-economic functioning [45,46]
Summary
The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on 11 March 2020 [1]. 30 March 2021, there were over 127 million confirmed cases and over 2.7 million deaths globally [2]. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, has had a significant global economic impact [3] where many people have lost their jobs or had reduced hours, creating financial uncertainty [4]. Public health precautions addressing the spread of the virus included physical distancing, travel restrictions, and closed or reduced hours of non-essential businesses [5]. People with disabilities are more often impacted by economic crises compared to other groups [7], which can result in employment inequities. The post-COVID-19 economy is expected to significantly affect the employment of individuals with disabilities [8]
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