PRESS RELEASE
Young care leavers, hindered by discrimination
Headliners documentary reveals
Young care leavers face discrimination from employers because they are stereotyped as being prone to crime, according to a new documentary Barriers to Employment made by the young people themselves.
As part of their involvement with Headliners - a charity which exists to inspire and encourage the personal development of young people through journalism - the care leavers aged between 21- 23 researched the barriers to employment faced by this young group.
Their documentary comes at a time when the government is proposing a “tool-kit” as part of its Link Up – Link In campaign, to help professionals who work with care leavers. The documentary reveals the views of young people who’ve recently left the care system and their fears for others like them in future.
Angela Smith, Minister for the Third Sector and Social Exclusion, explained that the government is keen to get more vulnerable people into a stable home and sustainable employment.
Barriers to Employment revealed that young care leavers face discrimination in the employment process because they have been in state care. The team discovered the stereotype that care leavers are prone to crime or to be imprisoned was a stigma that hindered them in the work place.
“You either get pitied or discriminated against because you have been in care,” said 21 year old Ricky Willer.
“We are not asking for special treatment because we have been in care doesn’t mean we should be treated differently,” said 21 year old Zozo Moswala.
“People in care have too much to lose... what I’d like is for young people in care to know they can apply for work without having to worry about discrimination,” Moswala added.
The objective of Barriers to Employment is to shed light on some of difficulties faced by care leavers. The documentary can be viewed at www.headliners.org/barrierstoemployent
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Notes to the editor
For more information or to request and interview, contact Media and Communications Officer
Yemi Lufadeju
E: yemi.lufadeju@headliners.org
T: 0207 7749 9386
About Headliners
Headliners is a UK media agency which inspires and encourages the personal development of young people through journalism.
Through Headliners, young people are trained to research and write stories on issues that are important to them for publication in national and local newspapers, magazines, television and radio.
For more information, visit www.headliners.org
