A 24-year-old Leeds man is featuring in a nationwide campaign after opening up about his mental health deterioration.
Like many young people, Ben Jewers-Pettinger battled lots of challenges during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. And while it might be 'over', it has left mark on many people's lives even if they didn't lose a loved one, and stopped a lot of people from progression into their dream careers.
New research, conducted by The Prince's Trust, found that across the UK 2.8 million young people don’t think their job prospects will ever recover from the pandemic. Ben, from Leeds, began struggling with severe depression and anxiety during his A Levels.
Eventually, he worked up the courage to sign up to The Prince’s Trust Team programme - a 12-week confidence and skills development scheme for young people. Ben said: "I went from being a grade A student at GCSEs to failing every exam I took in my last year of school. After I left school, the depression took over and I retreated into myself for years."
After joining the programme with The Prince's Trust Team, he added: "It was exhilarating. I made lots of friends and my confidence and self-esteem skyrocketed. Part of the programme was a work experience placement.
"I worked with construction company Balfour Beatty for a few days, and I now work there as a Data Analysist Apprentice. I always thought I could not have a job, and now I have held one down in a pandemic."
Ben is now featuring in the 'Class of Covid’ campaign, which launched on 3 October 2022. He joins Top Boy actor and Prince’s Trust Ambassador Ashley Walters, and other Prince’s Trust supported young people, in a short nationwide campaign film.
The Class of Covid campaign aims to bring to light the challenges that young people have faced, and continue to face, as a result of the pandemic. It recognises that they will continue to be hit hard by the emerging cost of living crisis, having already faced a unique set of challenges impacting formative years, job opportunities and their aspirations for the future.
In the short film, Ashley Walters delivers a powerful speech to a room of young people in which he talks about how tough they have had it growing up through a pandemic, but how that experience has made them stronger, wiser and more determined than any other generation, including his own.
Ben said: "So many people had a difficult time during the pandemic. This campaign acknowledges that their struggles are valid and shows how young people can find strength in themselves."
Lucy Gifford, Head of Service Delivery for Yorkshire and the Humber at The Prince’s Trust, said: "Young people in the UK today are facing a unique set of repercussions from the pandemic, impacting their education, employment and wellbeing, and leaving them destabilised and debilitated.
"As the economic climate continues to change around us, we must not turn our back on this generation. With businesses, government, charities and the public working together, we can ensure the ‘Class of Covid’ is given the opportunity to take control of their lives and build a positive future."
To find out more about the campaign, search ‘Class of Covid’ or click here.
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