Time use and transitions
Very little information is available about how young people spend their time.
The 1998/99 New Zealand Time Use Survey provides a ‘snapshot’ picture. It shows that compared to older age groups, young people aged 12 to 24 spend:
- more time on sports, hobbies and social entertainment
- more time on personal care (including sleeping) and less time on household work
- less time in paid work and more time in education
- less time on formal community participation (religious, cultural and civic activities) and unpaid work outside the home.
Planning is currently underway at Statistics Zealand to complete a 2009/10 Time Use Survey which will provide more current data.
Hours each day spent on different activities, young people aged 12 to 24 (1998/9)
Source Statistics New Zealand, 1998/9 Time Use Survey
Age is one of the strongest determinants of how young people spend their time.
As shown in the figure below, between the ages of 15 and 24, the education and employment status of young people changes dramatically, with a shift from young people being predominantly in education to being predominantly in employment.
Education and employment status of young people aged 15 to 24 (2006)
Source: Statistics New Zealand, Household Labour Force Survey, December year end. “Education” includes school as well as other forms of formal and informal study.
According the Household Labour Force Survey, in 2006 73.1 percent of 15 year olds were engaged in education or study only, with another 21.7 percent engaged in both education and employment. Only 3.2 percent of 15 year olds were in employment only with 2 percent either unemployed or not in the labour force.
By age 24 the majority of young people have moved out of education and into paid work. In 2006, 61.5 percent of 24 year olds were in employment only, with further 15.1 percent combining employment with education or study. Just 8.1 percent were in education only and 14.8 percent were either unemployed or not in the labour force.
Of those aged 15 to 19 who were not in education or employment, 5.9 percent were engaged in caregiving as their main activity. This proportion rose to 42 percent of 20 to 24 year olds not in education or employment.
