{"id":46796,"date":"2018-12-14T10:46:59","date_gmt":"2018-12-14T10:46:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jomec.co.uk\/altcardiff\/?p=46796"},"modified":"2018-12-14T10:46:59","modified_gmt":"2018-12-14T10:46:59","slug":"inpoverty-what-its-like-to-experience-redundancy-in-your-twenties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/altcardiff\/2018\/12\/14\/inpoverty-what-its-like-to-experience-redundancy-in-your-twenties\/","title":{"rendered":"#InPoverty: What it\u2019s like to experience redundancy in your twenties"},"content":{"rendered":"

Losing a job is never pleasant, but with shop closures and precarious startups, younger people are just as likely to face redundancy<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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The stereotypical face of redundancy is not youthful. <\/span><\/p>\n

At least it hasn\u2019t been for those of us who associate job cuts with the \u2018older\u2019 generation. <\/span><\/p>\n

In 2017, the Office for National Statistics reports<\/a> that of those made redundant 17.5% were between 16 to 24 years old, and 19.7% were between the ages of 25 to 34.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Between July to September of this year <\/span>89,000 people in the UK were made redundant<\/span>. <\/span><\/p>\n

The media covers companies in peril;  House of Fraser, Toys R Us, Evans Cycles and more recently, the Schaeffler factory in <\/span>Llanelli and Plymouth, <\/span>with 550 jobs at risk. <\/span><\/p>\n

While businesses and the economy are relentlessly reported on, little is said about the people who find themselves out of the job. <\/a><\/span><\/p>\n

Judyta, 30, retail manager  <\/b><\/p>\n

Judyta Owsianna, a Cardiff local, has been made redundant twice.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Judyta was made redundant from Weird Fish clothing store at the age of 28, and again from Simply Be at the age of 30.  <\/span><\/p>\n

Staff were given a month\u2019s notice at Weird Fish and the company was supportive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judyta says: \u201cHR had individual meetings with staff to let them know what was happening and giving a detailed explanation.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Breaking the news<\/b><\/p>\n

Judyta found it difficult to tell people she had worked with that their jobs were ending. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not a nice feeling because you have to tell the people you know they are going to lose their jobs,\u201d she says. <\/span><\/p>\n

Judyta explains:\u201cEvery member of staff has different circumstances in their life and<\/span><\/p>\n

some will experience anxiety and their mental health can be affected.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The second time Judyta faced redundancy she was put in contact with a private company specialising in unemployment support.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThey focus on individual needs. My advisor recommended I join the ReAct programme,\u201d Judyta says.  <\/span><\/p>\n

ReAct is a Welsh government programme aiming to <\/span>prevent long-term unemployment<\/span><\/a> by providing funding for training.<\/span><\/p>\n

Judyta says: \u201cReAct funding will help me to train in digital marketing.\u201d   <\/span><\/p>\n

Although smiling and optimistic Judyta says she dipped into her savings to support herself while job hunting after her second redundancy. Judyta and her partner have been saving for their wedding. <\/span><\/p>\n

After being denied Universal Credit, Judyta found a job at another retail establishment. <\/span><\/p>\n

She\u2019s looking forward to leaving the retail game and trying something new.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Positive attitude<\/b><\/p>\n

Judyta tries to support her staff after they go their separate ways.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAs a manager you need to be there to support people. A manager should be a people person,\u201d Judyta explains. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s just being a good human being to another human being. I try to help my staff get other jobs and I always try to stay in touch with previous employees,\u201d she says. <\/span><\/p>\n

Scott, 25, currently unemployed <\/b><\/p>\n

Scott McCarthy is 25 years old and has dealt with redundancy three times.<\/span><\/p>\n

The first redundancy occurred when he was working in a retail store and they stopped getting deliveries.<\/span><\/p>\n

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\u201cWe were worried about our jobs but had no inclination of what was happening,\u201d he says, \u201cwe were told that everything was fine.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It wasn\u2019t until someone came into the shop and closed the front doors that they were told they were officially closing down. <\/span><\/p>\n

He felt betrayed and shocked. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat was that, the end of my job,\u201d he recalls.<\/span><\/p>\n

D\u00e9j\u00e0Vu<\/b><\/p>\n

At 22 years old, Scott was asked to help the same company open new stores. <\/span><\/p>\n

Nine months into his contract the same thing happened again.<\/span><\/p>\n

Deliveries stopped and they were losing communication with other stores. <\/span><\/p>\n

Scott started looking for a job but as it was Christmas, few places were hiring. <\/span><\/p>\n

He says: \u201cMy mental health was impacted and I left my home because I couldn\u2019t afford it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott eventually moved in with his parents.   <\/span><\/p>\n

He says: \u201cI was expecting my life to be on track at that age and t<\/span>hen everything came to a halt and I thought my life was falling apart.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Scott was made redundant a third time in August 2018 while working for a retail company in Cardiff. <\/span><\/p>\n