- Author, Thamayanthi McAllister
- Role, BBC News
The King, the Prime Minister and Hollywood star Idris Elba have been listening to young people talk about how they deal with the impacts of youth violence and the difficulties of modern life in Britain.
At St James’s Palace on Friday, young people who have worked with the Prince’s Trust – now called the King’s Trust – spoke of their own difficult starts in life.
They were encouraged to try and continue supporting each other in their communities, and the value of mentorship was highlighted.
King Charles told the group: “It seems to me that the great ambition now should be to join up all the dots and bring everybody involved in to find the right solution.”
“I am very grateful for you all coming today and helping with all of this, particularly for those who have been through the process and experienced so much in their lives,” King Charles added.
Also at the meeting organised by the King and Ebla, were Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
The 51-year-old actor from Hackney, east London, said governments, both past and present, had been willing to listen to the issues, but “right now is a moment for change not talk”.
He said: “This topic has always had a spike in interest when we lose a life.
“I think where we are right now… our country is wanting to have some change and is consistently banging on that door for change.”
He added: “The truth is it is my honour to have young people at the table and having their voice to be part of this, because it is really, really important that you guys speak up.”
Elba, who as a teenager was given a £1,500 grant by The Prince’s Trust to go to the National Youth Music Theatre, said: “I am a product of intervention.
“When I was 15 years old, The Prince’s Trust gave me an opportunity and that opportunity came from a drama teacher who was a mentor.”
He said that “everyone in this room is an intervention tool” and encouraged them to persevere and to “keep your voices alive”.
Sir Keir Starmer said his government was “utterly determined” to tackle the issue, adding that the “most important voices around this table are the young people here who have told (about) their experiences”.
He told the youngsters: “I have been to many events like this where people like me think we know what the answer is, but we don’t.
“We need to listen and that is why the most important voices around this table are the young people here who have told their experiences.
“We need to listen, take it in and reflect on that.
“We have got to turn this into action, as the one thing that frustrates me is just to have the same conversation.”
He told the young people they had the right to “push” him and his top politicians about the pledges and measures which are supposed to help improve their lives.
Politicians need to be accountable and young people have the right to say “just get on with it”, Sir Keir told them.
Earlier, Charles and Elba spoke with each other about the ongoing work of The Trust.
They also talked about the work being done together by the Prince’s Trust International and the Elba Hope Foundation in Sierra Leone.
Charles and Elba joined the youngsters for a group photograph at the end of the event where they held up England shirts and wished the national team good luck in Sunday’s Euro 2024 against Spain.