Out of Europe’s Long Jobs Crisis, Voices of the Young

By LIZ ALDERMAN, HANNA INGBER and SHREEYA SINHA

Europe's unemployment crisis, now in its sixth year, has had a profound impact on young people across the Continent, and has become among the biggest economic, political and social challenges facing European leaders. Joblessness among young people is at historic highs, forcing many of them to leave their families and countries in search of jobs abroad, to accept temporary and underpaid work that often has little to do with their education and skills, and to readjust their expectations for their future. There is some evidence that Europe's economies are starting to recover, but there is also growing concern that members of this generation may never recapture the opportunities they have lost. Their stories are about hardship, but also about creative adaptation and in some cases unexpected opportunity.

The New York Times asked young people in Europe to share their stories about how the crisis has affected them. Here is a selection of their responses; they have been edited and condensed. Related Article »