Debt charity aims to raise debt awareness among young people

In a bid to reach young people struggling with debt, Citizens Advice has helped a group of young people who have struggled with and overcome debt problems to create two documentary-style short films that will be released online via social networking sites.

Scooby and Adila both 22 and from Stoke on Trent, sought advice from Citizens Advice to overcome their own debt problems. Having learned from the experience, the pair, along with other members of the charity’s ‘Youth Forum’, were connected with Bafta award winning youth agency Bold Creative to produce films which tell their story and educate other young people.

And it looks like the advice may be needed. According to figures from Citizens Advice, over 50,000 under 25s visited a CAB in England or Wales in 2008/09 to get help on debt. Reseach from Citizens Advice and young people’s charity YouthNet also shows that a quarter of 16-24 year olds have suffered mental health issues because of their finances.

‘Scooby’s story’ uses humorous fantasy sequences to convey how going £1 overdrawn on his current account quickly spiralled to become £600 of debt.

Scooby said:

“I was getting loads of letters telling me to pay the money, but I just ignored them and put them in my bottom drawer. I knew I needed to get help and thought ‘I’ve got nothing to lose’ so I went down to my local CAB. Within 4 months they’d helped me clear my debts, it really was like a weight lifted off my shoulders.”

Adila’s story is an animated documentary animation which illustrates the problems she faced as she succumbed to the lure of student loans, overdraft limits and store cards.

“Because of my debt, I got even more unhappy. Until recently I hadn’t even told my parents about my situation. I felt trapped and alone and didn’t know where to turn to get help. I didn’t want anyone to find out but I really wanted to sort my life out. I needed somewhere confidential to turn to and heard about Citizens Advice. I’d say to anyone in the same situation as me – ‘you’re not alone’. It was such a relief to talk to the adviser at my local CAB. They are there for everyone regardless of age or how big your issue.”

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