Prince Charles issues Commonwealth post-COVID youth jobs appeal
London, Jun 18 () Britain's Prince Charles issued an appeal on Thursday for the world to unite to fight global youth unemployment in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic across the Commonwealth and beyond.
The 71-year-old heir to the British throne issued the video appeal via his Prince's Trust International charity, founded as the international arm of Prince Trust in 2015 and active in India since 2017 through local partners Magic Bus and the Aga Khan Foundation.
"Providing opportunities for disadvantaged young people drives the work of my Trust and, since I launched my International Trust in 2015, it has enabled growing numbers of young people to build their futures across the Commonwealth and beyond, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to encourage self-esteem, to re-engage with education, start businesses and develop careers," said the royal, as part of an appeal for coordinated fundraising and other efforts.
"Now, with increasing urgency, we need to do more to help young people through and beyond this global crisis," he said.
In India, Prince's Trust International said it has been working with Magic Bus to deliver the employability programme, "Get Into", and with the Aga Khan Foundation to jointly develop modules within the adolescent "Lehar" programme in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
To continue supporting young people during the coronavirus crisis, the Get Into programme has been adapted and is currently being delivered online, supported by our new partner's Learning Management System (LMS).
"Young people now need your support more than ever. Their future is on the line. But together we can prevent this crisis from defining the prospects of a generation," the Prince of Wales said.
The Prince's Trust is running a relief fund, job search board, and a "coronavirus support hub" to try and offset the damage caused by COVID-19.
"It is a real challenge to thrive in the midst of chaos and economic disorder. But this is why my trust was set up, to help people to a better future," he said.
Besides India, the trust works with local partners to deliver education, employability and enterprise programmes for young people in 12 countries across the world across Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe.
As the Founder and President of the trust, the royal's message comes after reports from the International Labour Organisation last month indicated that one in six young people were now out of work globally due the effects of COVID-19.
"When I founded my Trust 44 years ago, the problems facing young people through unemployment and a lack of support were serious. Now, I fear, those problems have gone from serious to potentially devastating," he said.
"Although we all hope the pandemic will pass quickly, there are inevitable fears that the repercussions will be felt deeply by all of us for years to come. This challenge confronts us all and it is therefore vital that we share our experiences and coordinate our responses so that we can come back stronger," he said. AK IND IND