One in three young Italians supported by their parents

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More than one in three Italians in their 30s rely on their parents or grandparents for economic support, according to a survey published Friday by Ixe pollsters commissioned by Italian farmers' association Coldiretti.

The report titled "Young Italians, Life and Work" found that at least 68 percent of young Italians still live with their families, although this does not necessarily mean their families are wealthy, the survey found.

Less than half of the respondents described their families as well-off, while 47 percent said they barely make it to the end of the month and 5 percent said there isn't enough money to pay for basic necessities.

"The Italian family, and especially the agricultural family, which was thought to have been left behind, is in fact the key to keeping a great many citizens from falling into hardship," Coldiretti president, Roberto Moncalvo, said in a statement.

The survey also found that 56 percent of the unemployed Italians aged under 35 are willing to collect garbage for a living－ahead of equally menial or low-paid jobs such as working at a call center, caring for the disabled, or dog-sitting.

Unemployment in the 18-35 age range in Italy stands at 32.7 percent, the highest figure in the EU after Greece and Spain, said Coldiretti, citing the latest data from ISTAT national statistics agency.

A whopping 72 percent of under-35 said they knew someone who landed a job not on merit but thanks to having friends in the right places.

As well, 48 percent said they would accept a job that is completely unrelated to their education, and 34 percent are willing to emigrate to find work.

The loss of young people to other countries "is an unsustainable loss of resources if we want to return to growth," said Moncalvo.

"Youth emigration is a defeat for everyone," he said.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency