Natasha Cordey, 19

I've got GCSEs in art, English and science. I failed maths. That makes things difficult, that's what everyone looks at – maths, English and science. I've had quite a few jobs. I've worked in Hobbycraft, Asda, an optician's. I found I was mistreated a lot because I didn't have good grades. They thought I was thick. I'm not, honest. I've been unemployed a year and five months. It's horrible. I can't do anything, I can't go on holidays. I live in a council flat but I haven't got much of a life. I stay at home, watch TV, talk to neighbours.

That's it. It gets boring. I get depressed. I'm on tablets for being depressed. I'd like to get into care work. I've been trying but nobody wants anybody at the moment. You have to save for a month to go out. I get £156 a fortnight and I have to pay part rent out of that. After I've bought my food, gas, water, electricity, television and water there's nothing. I haven't been to the cinema for years. I'd only go to McDonald's if someone else is paying for me.

Hannah Jackson Povey, 22

I've just graduated from UWE [the University of the West of England] in Bristol. I did media practice and really enjoyed it. Now I'm looking for a job in Bristol. I know it's not going to be easy. To be honest, I only want a job in a bar or restaurant or something like that while I decide what I want to do, then I'll look for other things that I really would like to do as a career. I want to get some money so I don't have to live at home.

Today I'm handing out a few CVs to the bars and restaurants. There's quite a few who say there might be some part-time work but there's not a lot full-time. One man said an estate agent was looking for someone to work part-time. I'd like to work in the radio industry in the end but I haven't started to pursue that yet. I just want to find a job to get some money together and then I can start writing to companies.

Charlotte Stray, 16

I left school in July and since then I've applied for quite a few jobs – working in shops or in cleaning. I must have applied for 10 or 15 jobs but I haven't had any luck. A lot of them seem to only want to know if you're 18 or over, which doesn't seem very fair. I don't really have any ambitions. I just want to work and make a living.

I don't want to go to college or university. I'm not that interested and I don't think my grades would be good enough anyway for me to do something like that. I hang around with my friends all day in the park or whatever. It would be nice to have a bit of money but it's alright. I get by.

Article source: A daily grind: being young and unemployed by Steven Morris for www.guardian.co.uk
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