"They Gave Up Looking—And Who Can Blame Them?"
Reflecting on a Generation Shut Out by a System That Pretends to Care
“While 18,000 youth between the ages of 18 and 24 joined B.C.’s workforce in May, even more left it in June—18,500 gave up looking.”
— Vancouver Sun, July 11, 2025
Let that sink in.
More youth gave up on job hunting than actually joined the workforce. That’s not just a number—it’s a wave of despair. It’s young people—our kids, our neighbours, our future—saying “Why bother?”
And honestly?
I don’t blame them.
👷🏽♀️ A Broken Promise
They did what they were told.
Go to school. Get experience. Send out resumes. Stay optimistic.
But the reality? They’re hitting walls of silence, gig jobs with no future, and employers asking for 5 years’ experience for an entry-level position.
How many times can you be ignored before you just... stop trying?
💔 I Know That Pain
I’ve lived it.
From berry picking and factory work in Clearbrook in the 1980s… to training in digital design and still getting ghosted at 63. I’ve worked as a cruise ship photographer, industrial cleaner, nanny, soap shop clerk, aerial photo technician. I’ve cleaned homes, watched elders decline, and helped friends who are struggling.
I’ve sent out so many resumes I’ve lost count.
Even took job-search “skills training” courses (as a professional with decades of experience!).
And still—no response. No callbacks. No respect.
It’s a special kind of loneliness when everyone around you has a job... and you don’t.
🧩 The Youth Today Aren’t the Problem—The System Is
Let’s be real:
- Housing is unaffordable.
- Degrees are expensive and undervalued.
- Good jobs are scarce.
- Burnout is everywhere.
- And those in charge keep saying “work harder.”
But work harder for what? To rent a closet? To never retire? To get laid off by algorithm?
💬 Reflective Questions for Us All
Here’s what we need to be asking—urgently:
- 🔍 Why are we still telling youth to “just keep applying” when the system doesn’t value their labour?
- 🧾 Why do we force people into “employment programs” that lead nowhere, especially if we won’t fix wage theft, job insecurity, or housing access?
- 📉 Why do we treat caregiving, art, and volunteer work as less than—when they hold our communities together?
- 🚨 Why do we blame individuals for struggling, instead of demanding structural change?
- 🧠 Why do so many elders, newcomers, and youth feel like they have nothing to offer when the truth is: the system doesn’t know how to use them?
And maybe most importantly:
💡 What would happen if we stopped waiting for change—and built it ourselves?
🌱 Rebuilding Hope: Tiny Houses, Gardens & Community
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again:
Imagine a future where children start designing tiny homes in kindergarten.
Imagine teens building them in high school.
Imagine schools where you graduate not just with grades, but with tools, gardens, shelter, and community.
Real purpose. Real skills. Real connection.
We don’t have to wait for governments to “fix it.”
They’re not coming. They’ve had decades.
But you and me? We’re already here.
And together, we can build the kind of future that makes sense again.
✊ Final Words
To the youth:
I see you. I believe you. I know what it’s like to give up—but I also know what it’s like to rise again.
To the elders:
Your story matters. Tell it. Share it. Build bridges.
To those in power:
Stop talking. Start listening. The kids are already ahead of you.
And to the readers of this blog:
Answer the questions. Don’t turn away.
If you’re tired, angry, frustrated—you’re not alone.
Use that energy. Turn it into art, community, action, hope.
🖌️ With love and fire,
Tina Winterlik aka Zipolita
Artist. Elder. Witness.
Still dreaming. Still fighting. Still building.
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