Young people are stuck in 'catch 22 crisis', charity warns » Communities » 24dash.com

A new charity launched today has warned there are a half a million young people trapped in no-win situations.

New charity Catch22 said it is time to crack the "Catch 22 crisis" which it says leaves thousands of young people out of school, out of work, without a stable home, or caught up in the cycle of crime.

The charity is the result of a merger between youth organisation Rainer and crime prevention charity Crime Concern. It aims to help young people in a range of situations such as those who have been expelled from school or those who are old enough to leave care but too young to cope alone.

Chief executive of Catch22, Joyce Moseley, said: "These young people are stuck. They are damned if they do and damned if they don't. They are the Catch 22 generation. And we've made it our business to identify the problems and help them find a way out.

"For example, the young person who is bullied at school feels as if they have an impossible choice of going to school to get beaten up or staying away from school and missing out on an education.

"We are here to help young people to live somewhere safe, learn, earn a living, steer clear of crime and become involved in their community. We plan to make a big difference, not just for individual young people, but for those who live with and around them.

"That's why we concentrate on three things. First, identifying the true extent of the Catch 22 generation. Second, working with these young people and their communities to find ways out of no-win situations and third, working with Government to make sure the right resources reach the right people in the right places."

Catch22 found there are more than half a million young people in England and Wales facing different problems and trapped in no-win situations.

The figure focuses on youngsters aged 10-25 and includes approximately 190,000 16 and 17-year-olds outside of education or employment; 50,000 young homeless people; 8,000 young people leaving care; 9,000 children permanently excluded from school; 300,000 school age children who have used drugs or got drunk in the last four weeks and 470,000 10 -25 year olds classed as prolific offenders.

Catch22 works with 34,000 young people in more than 100 places in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. It helps young people tackle the problems they face through specialist projects.

To find out more visit www.catch-22.org.uk.