STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

What are the causes and effects of unemployment in the community of Long Road?

AIMS OF STUDY

1. To find out some of the effects of unemployment in my community.

2. To find out what causes unemployment in my community.

3. To find out what can be done to reduce unemployment.

 DATA COLLECTION INSTRUMENTS

COPY OF QUESTIONNAIRE

1. GENDER

Male [ ] Female [ ]

2. How old are you?

A. 18-25[ ] B. 26-30[ ] C. 31-35 [ ]

3. Have you ever been employed?

A. Yes [ ] B. No [ ]

4. How long have you been unemployed?

A. Few months [ ] B. 1-3 years [ ] C. Over 3 years [ ]

5. What causes you to be unemployed?

A. Unskilled [ ] B. Unavailability of jobs [ ] C. Unqualified [ ]

6. What level of education do you received?

A. Primary [ ] B. Secondary [ ] C. Tertiary [ ]

7. What qualifications have you received?

A. CXC [ ] B. Diploma [ ] C. Degree [ ]

8. How are your financial needs met?

A. Family [ ] B. Friends [ ] C. Spouse [ ] D. Government Aide [ ]

9. Do you have children?

A. Yes [ ] B. No [ ]

10. If yes do you support them?

A. Family help [ ] B. Government Aide [ ] C. Parent [ ]

11. How does unemployment affect you?

A. Unable to support children’s financial problem [ ]

B. Stress which results in aggressive behavior [ ]

C. Emotional problems [ ]

12. What are some of the activities which unemployed persons engage in?

A. Getting involved in illicit behavior [ ]

B. Formation of gangs [ ]

C. Abusing of drugs [ ]

13. What are some of the effects of unemployment?

A. Rise in crime and violence [ ]

B. Mental illness [ ]

C. Formation of street gangs [ ]

14. Are you looking for a job?

A. Yes [ ] C. No [ ]
 15. What can you do to become employed? ________________________________________

16. What can the government do to reduce unemployment in your

community?
____________________________________________________________________
 REASON FOR CHOSING THIS AREA OF STUDY

There has been a high level of unemployment in the community of Long Road in recent years.
This particularly so among the younger population.. I am concerned about the situation and
would like to know what can be done to ease this situation.

It is with this in mind that I decided to use the opportunity with this SBA to find ways in which it
can be helped or solved.
 METHOD OF INVESTIGATION

To collect data from this questionnaire the researcher have decided to use printed questionnaire.

Printed questionnaire was used by the researcher, because:

1. The information given is held in great confidence since respondent remain anonymous.

2. It is inexpensive.

3. It covers a large number of people.

4. It can be done at the convenience of the person required to have it completed.

 PROCEDURES USED TO COLLECT DATA

The researcher prepared a total of twenty (20) questionnaires to be distributed to individuals of

the community of Long Road. This community consists of approximately one thousand four

hundred residents .This number of questionnaire was chosen because it is believed that using this

sample group could provide the necessary information as well as much accuracy.

The questionnaires were handed to individuals between the ages 18-35 of both genders who are

unemployed. However the sample group was selectively chosen so as to accumulate or to get

needed information.

The questionnaires were handed out on the 5th of October 2014 to the sample group and were

collected by the 31th of October 2014.

 FINDINGS

After this research was completed the researcher came up with some findings .Findings that was

proven to be interesting .From the research the researcher came the realization that

unemployment being a social problem in its self has contributed to the emerging of other social

problem in the community.

The following are some findings:

1. Unemployment contributes to crime and violence due to the fact that individuals are not

occupied they find other agency to divert their energy. Thus the formation of gangs increases in

other case of teenage pregnancy and the prevalence of drug abuse.

2. Unemployment is a social problem that has taken a toll on both sexes, not only males but

females with the latter in small amount.

3. The reason given for unemployment was that there were no jobs as well as not being qualified

to get a job.
 RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION

In order for unemployment to be eliminated the following recommendations would be made:

1. The government could put more evening institutions in place to facilitate persons who

leave high school and are not qualified.

2. The government should provide skill training centre in the community so the people that

are unemployed can attend to get a skill.

3. More job opportunities should be available for persons who leave tertiary institutions and

are qualified for the job market in the rural areas.

IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY

In order to solve unemployment a letter signed by more than a hundred unemployed residents

could be written to the member of parliament asking him to lobby with the HEART TRUST

NTA to set up a training agency in the community .When this is done all the more persons who

have left high school and are without the necessary qualifications to be employed at any level

will be taught a skill.

 INTRODUCTION

Long Road is a small rural district located in eastern Portland .In this community most of the

persons who are employed are self employed .They do mostly fishing and farming .The

researcher have observed that in the community there are only a hand full of skilled workers and

professionals ,while a large number of people are unemployed .

There are various reasons for unemployment in Long Road. The researcher also observed that

unemployment often leads to negative actions which affect the individuals and the community

such as an increase in crime, violence and praedial larceny.

Another thing that the researcher have noticed is that most of the unemployed are youths and

the researcher is really concerned about this because the researcher is a youth as well and fear

that this may happen to the researcher .

Therefore the researcher decided to conduct the research on unemployment in Long Road to see

if the researcher can identify some of the causes and effects of unemployment and social issues

to highlight possible solution to this problem.

 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The successful completion of this study would not have been possible without the assistance of a

number of persons who made it their point of duty to assist where it was needed.

First of all I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the residents of Long Road who took

the time out to answer the questionnaires that were issued to them. Secondly, thanks go out to

my elder siblings who assisted with the distribution of the questionnaires.

Finally I would like to thank the Almighty for granting wisdom, knowledge and understanding to

complete this survey.

Thank you all.

 PRESENTATION OF DATA

A total of twenty (20) questionnaires were handed to residents of this amount sixty percent were
male and forty percent (40%) female.

Figure 1.

The pie chart above shows the age range to which respondents belong.

50% falls between 18 and 25 years

30% between 26 and 30 years

And the remaining 20% falls between 31 and 25 years.

Figure 2

The bar graph in figure shows the response to the question how long have you been unemployed. 20 % of

the respondents have been unemployed for a few years, 50 % between 1 and 3 years and the remaining

30% for 3 years and over.

Figure 3

The pie chart above indicates the responses to the question, what caused you to be unemployed?

70% say they are unskilled

15% say there is no vacancy

While the remaining 15% say jobs are not available in the areas they would work in.
Figure 4

The figure above shows what happens as a result of unemployment.

30% responded that there is an increase in crime and violence

25% said there has been the formation of gangs

Another 25% said there as been an increase in teenage pregnancy

While the remaining 20% says the abuse of drugs has also results.
Figure 5

The figure above shows how whether or not persons who are unemployed get into trouble.

70% say yes they get into trouble and 30% say no
 INTERPRETATION OF DATA

Unemployment is a social issue which affects both genders however it can be said that based on

the information collected that majority of the respondents are males (60%) because they are high

school drop outs.

Majority (50%) of the respondents has been unemployed for one to three years and falls between

18-25 years of age (50%) as seen in figs 1 & 2 . A stunning majority of 60% of the respondents

have been unemployed because they are unskilled however a minority of 15% attribute their state

to the unavailability of vacancies in the areas they are able to work or because they are

unqualified. (fig. 3)

Most of these respondents have children of whom they should take care. This resulted in most

(75%) of the respondents depending on family member to help meet their financial needs with a

minority depending on government aide (15%). Most (65%) of the respondents responded that

they experienced stress aggressive behaviour. However there are those who said that the high

unemployment rate in the community has resulted in crime and violence (50%) because

unemployed persons usually get involved in illicit activities (65%) to divert their energy to. A

minority of 25% gets involved in drug abuse as highlighted in fig. 4.

 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Mervyn C. Sandy and Stephenson C. Grayson, 2000, CXC Social Studies Essentials with SBA,

Study Guide and Exercises, Jamaica, Carlong Publishers (Caribbean) Ltd.

Rampersad Ramsawak and Ralph R. Umraw, 2005, Modules in Social Studies with S.B.A.

Guide and C.X.C. Questions Fourth Edition, Trinidad, Caribbean Educational Publishers.
CANDIDATE NAME: ADENA HALL

CANDIDATE NUMBER:

CENTER NUMBER:

TEACHERS NAME: MR. ELLIS

SUBJECT: SOCIAL STUDIES

SCHOOL:

TERRITORY: JAMAICA

TOPIC: UNEMPLOYMENT

YEAR OF SUBMISSION: 2015

 TABLE OF CONTENT

TITLE PAGE

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT----------------------------------------------------------------------- 1

INTRODUCTION------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM ---------------------------------------------------------------- 3

REASON FOR SELECTING AREA OF RESEARCH-------------------------------------4

METHOD OF INVESTIGATION -------------------------------------------------------------5

INSTRUMENT USED TO COLLECT DATA--------------------------------------------- 6-8

PROCEDURES USED TO COLLECT DATA-----------------------------------------------9

PRESENTATION AND EXPLANATION OF DATA-------------------------------------10-14

INTERPRETATION OF DATA----------------------------------------------------------------15

STATEMENT OF FINDINGS------------------------------------------------------------------16

RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTATION---------------------------------------17

BIBLIOGRAPHY-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 18