Posted January 24 2018
By Chris Dynes
It’s very easy as a young person in 2018 to feel like the world has given up on you. Degrees aren’t worth what they used to be, the job market seems to be growing for everyone but you, and the jobs that are available leave you feeling unfulfilled.
Not very long ago I was just like many other young people. According to this year's Youth Index from The Prince’s Trust, one fifth of young people believe that their lives will amount to nothing. I thought the same. Job interview after job interview, and nothing to show for it except a zero-hour contract, that had me sign away a right to complain about unreasonable work hours.
And one in five young people also feel unable to change their circumstances. Hit with serious depression for almost a year, this was another eerily familiar notion. Despite having two degrees by the age of 23, I was deemed undesirable by employers. Despite working hard and getting out of a poor, working class background, to complete university twice, it seemed like it all for naught.
Another statistic that really sticks out, is that almost half of young people fear there will be less jobs for them within the next three years. This always seems to ring true, in my experience, not least because there is an ever-growing population.
With all that doom and gloom said, the very same group that brought this information to light, The Prince’s Trust, are also doing fantastic work to help solve these problems for young people. I may not have taken part in any of the courses that The Trust has on offer, but they have helped me out in an amazing way.
They gave me a job.
They took a chance on someone that was still suffering the lingering after effects of a deep and life stopping depression. They helped me regain self confidence and a sense of purpose. Because of their kindness and hard work, I’ve started to become who I was before.
I have also started to learn the skills that I’ll need to create my own business after my work at The Trust is done. I am now able to take control of my life and my circumstances, and now the future is looking much better for me. And it is all because The Prince’s Trust are able to give that much needed helping hand to young people when they need it the most.
You can find out more about the work The Prince's Trust undertake by clicking here. We are proud to be headline sponsors for The Prince's Trust Financial Lunch 2018 this May.