David Claywood, 19, is out of work at present and lives in supported living accommodation.
Claywood said filling out forms could make them anxious but they were looking for work opportunities.
“I’ve got so many ideas. I like my animals, I like my art, I like being creative in film and media.”
James Dowdle was formerly employed at the Warren and now works as a youth development lead at the King’s Trust in Leeds, which supports people aged 11 to 30 across the Yorkshire the Humber region.
Dowdle described the government’s youth employment support package, which is designed to tackle youth unemployment across the country, as “a good start”.
“I do like the fact that youth unemployment has become a bigger talking point, but I think there needs to be further considerations made around how best to help young people.”
However, Dowdle said there were some issues with the youth guarantee scheme, which the government introduced in 2024 to ensure every 18 to 21-year-old in England has access to education, training or help to find a job or an apprenticeship.
The guarantee includes providing six months of paid work to eligible 18 to 24-year-olds who have been receiving Universal Credit for 18 months without earning or learning.
“I think there needs to be flexibility because if someone’s been out of work for 18 months, they might not quickly adapt to the workplace,” Dowdle said.
“They might have issues that we need to work with, such as job coaches, employers, and any other support agencies.”