Youth employment, psychosocial health and the importance of person/environment fit: a case study of two Scottish rural towns

Abstract

First paragraph: It has been argued that during youth, paid employment fulfils a number of functions: to provide material resources to undertake childhood to adulthood transitions; contribute to identity formation; provide structure to the day; and promote social inclusion and integration. However, young people are not a homogeneous group and do not all participate in the same labour market, either geographically or in terms of skill levels. In this paper we report on the experiences of young people from two small rural Scottish towns. The study locations were chosen to contrast in terms of their proximity to urban conurbations and available types of employment. One area, Callander, has been heavily affected by tourism and incoming urban working commuters, while the other area, Duns, has remained more traditionally rural. Data were gathered using qualitative interviews (n=60) and a structured postal questionnaire (n=187). Secondary data were analysed to provide contextual knowledge that would aid the interpretation of interview and survey data.