BBC Radio 4 will raise money for Young Women’s Trust as part of its weekly charity appeal from Sunday 26 May to Saturday 1 June to help young women on low or no pay into quality work and training.
The appeal, which is presented by the comedian and ‘The Guilty Feminist’ podcast host Deborah Frances-White, focuses on the experience of Jenny, a young woman who the charity supports.
Jenny was bullied at work and was left unemployed and struggling. Her family had lots of health problems to deal with, which meant Jenny had no one to support her. She found a job but only for 12 hours a week, which didn’t pay anywhere near enough even to cover her rent. Despite her ambition to work, she couldn’t find a way out and she became more and more depressed. Jenny said that she felt “at the edge of a black hole, getting closer and closer to the middle”.
The charity connected Jenny with an employment and confidence coach, Denise, who listened to her and gave her practical advice and support to build her confidence and find work.
By the end of each coaching session Jenny said she felt lighter, like a massive weight had been lifted. But, more than that, Denise gave Jenny hope and supported her to get a full- time job in a local market.
Jenny says her proudest moment was seeing the market at Christmas going really well – she was responsible for it and it was brilliant having everyone tell her how great it was.
Young Women’s Trust Chief Executive Dr Carole Easton OBE said:
“We are delighted to have been chosen by BBC Radio 4. We hope that, with listeners’ support, we will be able to meet our target to support 10,000 young women build their confidence and employability in the next three years.
“Your donations mean a huge amount to the young women who are struggling to find work and put food on the table for their families. They desperately need a lifeline.”
Comedian Deborah Frances-White, in her appeal for the charity, said:
“We don’t have to be perfect to be a force for meaningful change. What makes me angry is that so many young women in this country are disenfranchised, without proper employment, in terrible employment situations and not enough is being done to help them.
“But Young Women’s Trust is helping them, and I’m certainly prepared to donate some money and do some work to help them help those young women. I really hope that you will join me. It only costs £45 for one coaching session and that can seriously change a life. So please get behind Young Women’s Trust and do something to change the world.”
Note to editors
- Young Women’s Trust supports and represents women aged 18 to 30 in England and Wales trapped by low or no pay and facing a life of poverty. The charity provides services and runs campaigns to make sure that the talents of young women don’t go to waste.
- around 770,000 young women would describe their financial situation as “struggling”;
- more than 800,000 will have been sexually harassed at work and not reported it;
- more than one million have been paid less than a male colleague who has done the same or similar work; and
- 1.2 million would report they are depressed.
- All figures unless otherwise stated are based on findings from a survey carried out for Young Women’s Trust by Populus Data Solutions. A representative sample of 4,010 18 to 30 year olds and 1,105 54 to 72 year olds in England and Wales, with panel services provided by Populus Live, were surveyed between 29 June and 16 July 2018.
