Retired footballer and former Lioness Jill Scott has shared her concerns about the “complex challenges” facing young people in a new campaign, urging that “now is the time to act”.
Scott hung up his boots in August 2022 after making 161 appearances and scoring 27 goals for England, and was part of the Lionesses' 2022 European Championship triumph.
The Children In Need ambassador, 37, visited Community On Solid Ground in Greater Manchester, a charity which offers a range of sports, mentoring and youth activities to help empower young people.
He spoke about the importance of mentorship and positive relationships in directing the trajectory of their lives.
“Not all young people have someone to turn to and trust,” he said. “This could mean sitting with their problems, letting them grow, and then carrying that weight on their shoulders.
“However, we know that this burden can be reduced by having a simple conversation, which is why access to trusted mentors is so important.”
He also spoke about the importance of discussing issues such as “racism and bullying.”
“It's great to see young people at Community On Solid Ground being encouraged to share their own experiences and also engage in discussions to take on other perspectives and address issues such as racism and bullying.
“Now more than ever, young people have to face increasingly complex challenges in their daily lives and now is the time to act,” he said.
During the visit, the I'm a celebrity… Get me out of here! The winner met the charity's chief executive, Majid Dar, to learn about the challenges young people face and the work being done to address them.
Dar said: “We work at the heart of the south and central Manchester community, where young people can face a range of issues.
“We have children who are doing very well in the project, and then we have other young people who have been involved in petty crime, anti-social behavior or drugs, so we make sure we address those issues with them and support them to do the same. better options and keep them safe.”
BBC Children In Need has teamed up with fundraiser Omaze to fund more critical youth work projects in the UK.
Omaze has secured a minimum donation of £1m from the partnership and is giving away a house in Dorset worth £2.5m (along with £100,000 in cash) to raise funds for youth work projects in all over the UK.
