Successful Youth Fight for Jobs demo in Barking, London

1 million young people. That's one in five of us who can't get a job, can't get into education. Bankers and the bosses, who caused the crisis in the economy, have been looked after by the government.

But for young people and workers, this is a crisis that will go on and on.

So what's on offer for us? Well, there's McJobs, but even McDonalds doesn't have enough jobs going round! There's loads of 'opportunities' to work for free or next to nothing, as long as you don't expect a guarantee of a job at the end of it.

Thinking of going to college or uni instead? Chances are dwindling, with huge cuts, an expected increase in university fees and graduate unemployment rising sharply.

Brown & Cameron - looking after the bankers

Gordon Brown and his cohorts in Parliament have given the banks billions of public money. But when it comes to a million unemployed youth they say we have to get by on our wits alone. But there was no option, politicians cry, the whole country would have gone bankrupt. Where are the options for young people, when there are simply not enough jobs to go around? But we can't really expect more from crooks used to stealing from public funds for their own gain, never mind about the rest of us.

Young people can fight back!

The politicians from the main parties aren't interested in changing this situation. Their policies will only make it worse. We have no option but to get organised and fight for our future.

On the 28 November 1000 young people marched on parliament to demand real jobs and free education. This was organised by the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign. Young people are building Youth Fight for Jobs in workplaces, trade unions, colleges, schools and in the communities.

If we are united we can fight for a decent future and to stop the destruction of our communities. Massive strikes by workers to defend jobs combined with action from young people can force the government and councils to act and retreat from their cuts policies.

BNP no solutions

This situation allows the far right, racist British National Party (BNP) to pose as 'different' to the mainstream.

But in reality they offer no solutions either, and often vote through attacks on public services proposed by Labour or the Tories.

Gains that have been won for young people and workers have been won by united struggle of workers in a workplace or a particular area.

With the ongoing recession, this is going to become ever more vital.

But the BNP, instead of campaigning for jobs and services, spread division and the idea that it is Muslim, Asian, black people and others that are to blame.

An unemployed white youth from Barking has far more in common with an unemployed youth from a Bangladeshi family in Tower Hamlets than with the likes of Adam Applegarth, the former boss of Northern Rock, who is still raking in the millions.

Youth Fight for Jobs organised a demonstration on 13 March in Barking, where Nick Griffin BNP leader is standing in the general election, to make it clear that the BNP do not represent unemployed youth, and will not solve our problems.

See Youth Fight for Jobs website for more details.