Letter: Invest in youth

I WRITE in response to Andrew Welsh's article "Prevention of social problems must be the priority", (18 October). The issue of youth unemployment has both immediate and long-term impacts on society and preventative spending is the only way to save now and in the future.

Disadvantaged young people, in particular, are being pushed further and further away from employment and are becoming trapped in a cycle of poverty, which often involves reliance on welfare benefits. This is negative for them as individuals, as their potential remains untapped and it also becomes a drain on society at a time when we can ill-afford it.

We must be willing to invest in these lives, equipping the young with the skills, qualifications and, ultimately, confidence to succeed and become employable.

By looking at immediate, as well as long-term solutions and investing wisely, the Scottish Government and local authorities have an opportunity to tackle youth unemployment, disengagement and crime head on.

The Prince's Trust Scotland supports around 4,000 disadvantaged young people each year, giving them the chance, through development programmes and guidance, to turn their lives around.

There are undoubtedly tough decisions to be made. The government's inquiry into preventative spending, however, is already showing that there are many strong arguments for spending in this area.

Geraldine Gammell

The Prince's Trust Scotland

Queen Street

Glasgow