The York Research Database

During the 1980s, young people have tended to experience a much more protracted transition than had hitherto been the norm, because of a lack of employment opportunities. The changes in the nature of the transition have important implications for young people's experiences of leisure as both extended education and delays in entering full-time employment may create different sorts of leisure opportunities as well as new restrictions. The paper uses data from the Scottish (UK) Young People's Surveys in order to examine the effects of post-16 experiences and social class on the leisure patterns of young people with an average age of just over 19 years. Leisure patterns are analysed in relation to labour market status and the longer term effects of post-16 experiences on young people's leisure activities are assessed. It is argued that young people's social class and experiences after the age of 16 have an important and lasting effect on their subsequent leisure patterns.