ABSTRACT
A huge proportion of the English population is ageing whilst the younger generation is changing from an indigenous to a more mixed population. If these young people become integrated whilst developing positive identities their contribution to society has great potential.
The question is, are the young people ‘taught to adapt to the dominant culture,’ as described by Moldenhawer cited in Szalai and Schiff (2014: 146) when describing the German approach with regards to the Turks, or does our education enable a pride in self but with a national sense of purpose and unity?
Nemenyi and Vajda cited in Szalai and Schiff (2014: 104) claimed identity is a response to outward circumstances but as teenagers their aspirations and understanding are incomplete leaving the scope to reinforce ethnic separation or enhance integration or assimilation into a larger society.
Adolescence is a key phase of human development as the biological and psychosocial changes that take place during this period affect and impact on all aspects of adolescent life.
This chapter attempts to consider how young people develop within this changing world context and the opportunities available for transition into adulthood, responsibility and employment particularly when most of the population is ageing and nearly a quarter of the next generation have different international origins. Theresa May, 2015 (cited in The Times, 14 June 2016: 7) said, ‘when immigration is too high … it’s impossible to build a cohesive society.’ It is also difficult to operate a formal educational system when young people are joining the existing system at different points in their life and with different language skills and proficiencies.
