Employers urged to 'endorse' homeless young people on LinkedIn for charity ad push

The Prince's Trust has launched a campaign to encourage employers to take a fresh look at young people from troubled backgrounds, highlighting the skills they have to offer from having learnt the "hard way".

Prince's Trust: campaign highlights hidden skills of young people from tough backgrounds

The integrated campaign kicked off this week with a LinkedIn push aimed at highlighting how young people's skills are overlooked. The youth charity has created a 'homeless girl' profile on the network, listing her skills as resourcefulness, problem-solving, independence, resilience and fast learning.

A 60-second YouTube ad launched yesterday (29 January) on the charity's site, aimed at giving glimpses into the hardships some young people experience – from a teenage boy caring for his siblings and alcoholic mother, to others suffering abuse. It will be supported by TV, cinema, radio, outdoor, print and social media.

The ad script is written in the form of a personal statement, off-setting the harsh realities against the attributes they have picked up along the way – from self-motivation and communication skills to working under pressure.

The aim is to challenge negative perceptions around the employability of people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Martina Milburn, chief executive of The Prince’s Trust, said: "Although the economy is getting back on track, there are still hundreds of thousands of young people out there who are struggling on their own, from young people who are caring for parents and siblings, to those who are living on the streets... by working together, we can reach more young people to help them turn their lives around."