Hollywood star Tom Hardy backs youth campaign

The actor is supporting the "Youth Can Do It" campaign, which has been launched by The Prince's Trust and aims to champion young people's potential and give them confidence. 

A survey of more than 2,000 11- to 19-year-olds, published to coincide with the launch of the campaign, found that one in five (18 per cent) believe they will amount to nothing, "no matter how hard they try".

"The ‘Youth Can Do It' campaign aims to reach as many of them as possible with a message of empowerment," said Hardy.

"We are saying to them: we believe in your potential, and the trust is there to help you reach it. We are also reaching out to the older generations to get behind this rallying cry to help the trust support more young people."

He added: "It never ceases to amaze me the heart, tenacity and strength of young people, even in the face of adversity, and their potential to make a difference in the world."

The survey also found that a quarter (25 per cent) of 11- to 19-year-olds feel people don't believe in their ability and that they will be held back in life. Just under half (48 per cent) fear they will struggle to find work after they have finished studying.

"The survey results we reveal today show just how much work still needs to be done to ensure every young person can achieve their full potential," Paul Brown, director at The Prince's Trust, said.

"That's why our new campaign ‘Youth Can Do It' aims to speak directly to young people with a message of hope and optimism. We hope this campaign will inspire young people to discover the confidence and determination they need to achieve their dreams."

Promotional activity for the campaign includes a TV advertising campaign, directed by Oscar-winning director Andrea Arnold. The advert features a poem called Bulletproof, written and performed by 16-year-old poet Maya Sourie, who has experience of care.