A Palmers Green man spoke in parliament about unemployment among 18 to 25 year olds.

Tom Beresford spoke at the ‘Young and Unemployed: The Impact and Opportunities Available’ event at the Houses of Parliament.

The 24-year-old represented international development charity Progressio, and spoke about how volunteering helped get him into full-time employment.

During a question and answer session with Labour MP Sarah Champion and Conservative MP Tim Loughton, Mr Beresford said that young people need more opportunities.

He said: “Opportunities for young people to develop legitimate transferable skills through a ‘stand-out’ experience are increasingly rare. The government has not taken this widening chasm seriously enough.

“Young people need more opportunities and support for skills development as well as increased support for accessible internships that are paid and do not rely on having a free place to live in London. We are the future. Start listening, and give us a chance.”

Mr Beresford volunteered to help environment projects in El Salvador in the summer of 2013 and has also urged 18 to 25 year olds to remain patient if they are unemployed.

He added: “I want to tell young people who are unemployed to be patient, stay confident, embrace any opportunity to develop transferable skills and embrace your civic-right to lobby your government for more support by helping them realise their moral responsibility to see past the next election and support the future of this country; young people.”