Lewisham worst in Britain for youth unemployment

Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealed that 35.8 per cent of 16 to 24-year-olds are unemployed in the borough.

The results were taken between July 2009 and June last year showing 5,100 young people were unemployed, which is almost one in three of the 14,300 young people in the area.

It is an increase of 9.3 per cent compared to figures taken from July 2008 to June 2009.

Principle director of the south east London chamber of commerce, Stephen Nelson, said: “I'm completely shocked by the statistics.

“I can't see why Lewisham in particular is so bad, that's a mystery to me. It is not good news.”

He added: “We have got to hope the situation will start improving soon and there is a general feeling of optimism from businesses in Lewisham that things will start picking up.”

But young people in the borough will find it tougher to get a job after Lewisham Council announced the closure of two youth advice centres.

Connexions, in Lewisham High Street, provides information, advice and guidance for 13 to 19-year-olds as well as support for people up to the age of 25 who have learning difficulties or disabilities.

It will close its doors on March 18 due to government cuts.

Ricky Minott, of Stanstead Road, Catford, has been using the service since leaving prison.

The 19-year-old said: “They brought up my spirit making me feel like I wasn’t on a dead end path.

“They helped me get my housing and a job and they motivated me to get up and do stuff and not just stay in bed until 3 o’clock.”

Mr Minott added: “When it does close it could send me back to the beginning.

“Connexions has changed my life. I wake up with butterflies in the morning and at night thinking is it going to be the same, am I going to end up back in jail?”

Homeless Tamsyn Heenan, aged 17, has received help with finding somewhere to live and completing a college course.

She said: “It feels like they (council) don’t care about us. They have their jobs and they can go home at the end of the day.”

Connexions staff are facing redundancy once the service closes.

An employee, who did not want to be named, said he was “shocked and concerned” by the statistics.

He said: “If Lewisham listened to what the kids have to say about a service like this and if they still saw fit to close I could hand on my heart say at least we have consulted.

“What really angers and upsets me is these decisions are being made without asking the users.”

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition to save Opening Doors, in Lewisham High Street, which provides career advice.

The service will close on February 18 after 90 per cent of its funding was cut.

A council spokesman said: “We are unsure how these figures (ONS) have been calculated. "The Mayor's NEET programme, which supports 16 and 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training, has helped to reduce the borough's NEET figures to the lowest in London.”

He added: “We know there is still more that can be done, which is why the Mayor commissioned the recent report from the Youth Task Force to make recommendations on measures we can take to support young people through these tough economic times.”

16 to 24-year-olds unemployed across News Shopper area

ONS figures from July 2009 to June 2010