Across the UK, more than one million people aged 16 to 24 are unemployed. Frustration is widespread, and localized reports of competition for jobs being as high as 50 applications per position are common. Many of the unemployed are university-educated and desperate to work.
In the summer of 2011, riots spread around the UK. Although initially sparked by the police shooting of a London resident, they spilled out to other areas of the country, with high unemployment rates cited as being one of the causes.
The London Borough of Haringey, which saw more than its fair share of trouble, had the highest rate of unemployment in the capital at the time.
In April 2012, artist Alexander Augustus, having experienced a long period of unemployment and unpaid internships from 2009 to 2011, began a project to try and raise awareness of the issue. Read more
