Society people join Newsnight debate

With youth unemployment now at 1.02 million - its highest since the early 1990s and fast becoming a national hot topic – Tuesday's Newsnight saw David Miliband MP and Chris Grayling, the Employment Minister, debate the issue in the studio with young people themselves.

Joining the debate were three Camden Society representatives who were invited to take part and put forward their views on what it’s like to be young, with/without a disability and unemployed.

Young people talked about a ‘lost generation’, difficulties in getting experience, a general lack of vacancies and tough competition. Abdi Hussein from our young people's employment project, funded by Camden Council, talked about the effects of a lack of work on his self-esteem and motivation.



Louise Michel (pictured) from our Camden Job Brokerage project addressed Chris Grayling direct. Quoting the Employment Minister’s opinion that greater responsibility needs to be taken by individuals in finding work, Louise asked, “But what are you doing to help young people with disabilities like me get jobs?”

In response, Mr Grayling outlined the work of the government’s national Work Programme that offers specialist support to people with disabilities – a programme that the Camden Society is helping to deliver. Working across London we will support more than 2,000 people over the next five years into work.

Josh Stevens, from our young people's employment project, and Natalie Armitage, Employment Advisor, were also involved in the debate which is still available to view via BBC iPlayer here - http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017gqjc/Newsnight_15_11_2011/

For more information on the Camden Society's employment support programmes for people with disabilities, visit our Employment & Learning Services page.