MADAM, Further to the story last week concerning The Prince's Trust helping to tackle unemployment.

I am writing as a volunteer Development Award Advisor with the Prince's Trust to reinforce the need for local employers to give young people a chance when it comes to helping them establish themselves in the job market.

Whilst The Prince's Trust prioritises certain groups with particular challenges there are around one in five young people in the UK not in work, education or training. Youth unemployment costs the UK economy £10 million a day in lost productivity and youth crime costs £1 billion every year, this does not bode well for the future.

I have met young people who desperately want to work and have applied for many jobs who have received no response at all to their applications. Can you imagine how it feels to receive not even the common courtesy of a reply to your expression of interest or application? It can be soul destroying and does nothing to help people's self esteem or confidence. How many applications would you submit before wondering whether it was all worth the effort? How do you know what it is that is preventing you from being shortlisted or being considered for a job unless you receive feedback?

I would urge all employers big or small to stop for a moment and to think about the processes they use when recruiting and the impact that it is having on individuals. I appreciate that there is a cost to recruitment but it costs little to acknowledge someone's interest and to give them some feedback. Ultimately you may not be able to offer someone a job but you may be able to encourage, restore faith or provide pointers that do lead someone into employment; but regardless of this you will be doing what any decent employer should do.

In addition to this I would urge all employers when an opportunity arises to be prepared to take a risk with young people who do not have any previous experience or track record of employment for whatever reason. Please try to see through some of the difficult circumstances that some young people have experienced. There are times when we have all needed someone to take a chance and to have confidence in us. Please consider giving someone a helping hand with that first step.

Russell B Hamilton, Bridstow