New Project To Tackle Region's Youth Unemployment Crisis

Unemployed youngsters in Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire who are struggling to find work tell us they're now taking matters into their own hands.

Young people in Hull, Grimsby and Scunthorpe who are not in education, employment or training have been signing up to a new project to gain the skills needed to set up their own business.

It's just been launched by the Catzero youth charity following a £30,000 grant from Hull-based Spencer Group.

Between now and November - they'll work with young people in helping them become self-employed.

21-year-old Alex Thatcher from Hull is among those looking to develop her own company and has now joined the scheme.

She has been out of work for over a year and feels self-employment is now the way forward. She told Viking FM:

"I have lost count of the amount of jobs I have applied for, I have applied for hundreds and it's just silly especially considering the amount you don't hear back from. You can spend up to three quarters of an hour on an online application form and then no-one will get back in touch with you. It really gets you down because you question why they aren't even giving you an email back to say that you've been unsuccessful.

"Setting up my own business is something I've always wanted and it's been about a year and a half since I had a job and I have been looking every day. I need to know a few business skills, which I know this project will now be able to help me with."

25-year-old Daniel Brewitt from Hull is also out of work and likewise is looking to launch his own business now. He told us:

"There are so many people unemployed and there's not that many jobs to fill all of those spots so I think this training for people who have got an idea to go self-employed but aren't quite sure how to manifest it, I think Catzero providing this direction will be a really good thing."