Emeli Sandé, Jameela Jamil and rapper Wretch 32 last week offered advice and inspiration to young people at The Prince's Trust Youth Forum.
The Prince’s Trust Ambassadors – who have overcome the odds to achieve success – took part in a live-streamed Q&A session with young people who are worried about exam results, struggling to find work or feeling hopeless about the future.
Actor Adam Deacon and Game of Thrones star Ed Skrein also shared their secrets of success at the Youth Forum, supported by HSBC. The event was hosted by MTV’s Laura Whitmore and Kiss FM’s AJ King at the London head office.
MTV presenter and Prince’s Trust Ambassador Laura Whitmore said: "I was lucky growing up. I grew up in a single parent family, but was always encouraged to achieve my goals, however far-fetched they seemed. While today’s school leavers are facing the toughest job market in history – they should not give up hope.
“You can find your dream job or even start your own business with help from organisations like The Prince’s Trust – no matter what background you’ve had. If I could tell my teenage-self not to worry, I would. Instead, I’m telling the next generation.”
The Youth Forum comes at a time when thousands of young people are waiting for exam results and making tough decisions about their next steps in life.
Around one in five young people in the UK is currently unemployed and more than one in ten feels hopeless about the future.
With GCSE results due out next week, many young people are struggling to cope with the pressure to succeed. Research from The Prince’s Trust shows that thousands of young people are so worried about exam results that it is affecting their health.
Antonio Simoes, Head of HSBC in the UK, said: "We know that with the right support and encouragement young people can achieve their goals and fulfil their potential, regardless of their start in life.
“To support this, this summer we announced our new Opportunity Partnership, working with four UK youth charities, including The Prince’s Trust, to help 25,000 disadvantaged young people into education, training and work, enabling them to make a contribution to their family, community and wider society.”
Source: Prince's Trust
