9 Nov, 2010 @ 09:57
1 min read

Home sweet home

AMID Spain’s financial struggle, the Hotel of Mama y Papa is doing better than ever, with a third of adult kids still living at home.

And more than half of those under 28 are not financially independent and rely on their parents to get to the end of every month.

The announcement that over 30 per cent of 25 to 35-year-olds haven’t yet flown the nest is somewhat embarrassing for Spain, as its statistic is 30 times higher than Denmark and 10 times higher than other European countries.

The huge disparity has come as the cost of living in Spain has risen well above average salaries.

According to Alessandro Gentile, a researcher at the Institute of Policy, it is hard for young people to go it alone.

This is demoralising for them, as well as their parents who have invested in education only to see their offspring failing to be independent.

“The job insecurity of children results in insecurity for families, economically and emotionally,” he explained.

University graduate Alicia Canes, 28, from Barcelona, has been forced to move to London as she was unable to find a job in Spain.

The graduate, who speaks six languages, said: “Without my parents I would not make it to the end of the month.

“I never would have imagined that our generation would spend our adult lives just trying to find a job. It is a very disheartening situation.

“My parents – and the state – have invested heavily in my training. But where has all this investment gone? It is an injustice.”

Jon Clarke (Publisher & Editor)

Jon Clarke is a Londoner who worked at the Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday as an investigative journalist before moving permanently to Spain in 2003 where he helped set up the Olive Press. He is the author of three books; Costa Killer, Dining Secrets of Andalucia and My Search for Madeleine.

Do you have a story? Contact newsdesk@theolivepress.es

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