0:34:50 > 0:34:57.
0:35:05 > 0:35:08In the midst of an economic recession,
0:35:08 > 0:35:10we're all in it together,
0:35:10 > 0:35:13but some are in it deeper than others.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18With one in five young people struggling to find work,
0:35:18 > 0:35:22and many dependent on benefits, Britain's youth is being hit hard.
0:35:42 > 0:35:45In Birmingham, 19-year-old Wes is having a hard time at home.
0:35:47 > 0:35:50'Me and my mum have good and bad days.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52'We can be all right for one minute
0:35:52 > 0:35:55'and the next minute can be completely different.
0:35:58 > 0:36:00'I just want to get my own place, innit?
0:36:00 > 0:36:03'Cos there's no space in my house any more, it's just overcrowding.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06'There's no income coming in.'
0:36:08 > 0:36:13See, I've shared my room with my brother for...19 years,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15in this cramped room.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19Wes has decided his only option
0:36:19 > 0:36:22is to try and get a place in a young person's hostel.
0:36:22 > 0:36:24I just want to do things for myself now.
0:36:24 > 0:36:28I have done college, school
0:36:28 > 0:36:31and I ain't got a job.
0:36:31 > 0:36:37So getting a hostel is the first step of me really doing anything.
0:36:39 > 0:36:43Wes has arranged a meeting about getting a hostel place.
0:36:44 > 0:36:47'It's one step off being a child, innit?
0:36:47 > 0:36:50'Going into the adulthood and getting my own place.'
0:36:50 > 0:36:53I'm just sick of being stuck in other people's houses
0:36:53 > 0:36:55and not having a place of my own.
0:36:56 > 0:37:00The meeting didn't go well and without a secure home or a job,
0:37:00 > 0:37:02Wes is often on the move.
0:37:03 > 0:37:06But one thing is making him think about his future.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09A year ago, Wes became a dad.
0:37:09 > 0:37:12And he's determined to be there for his son,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16but on £53 a week Jobseekers' Allowance, it's hard to contribute.
0:37:16 > 0:37:20Financially, um, yeah,
0:37:20 > 0:37:25it was hard, cos there's stuff that you just can't do all the time.
0:37:27 > 0:37:31I've been doing a bit of voluntary work, but...
0:37:31 > 0:37:33I don't know,
0:37:33 > 0:37:36I don't want to be doing voluntary work.
0:37:36 > 0:37:38Who wants to work for free?
0:37:38 > 0:37:42I've got to step up now, I've got to be a dad. I've got to grow up.
0:37:43 > 0:37:47I need to be there for him, you know what I'm saying?
0:37:47 > 0:37:52Wes may be a dad, but he and Rowen's mum are not in a relationship.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55When he's here with Rowen, he is good and I can't fault him on that.
0:37:55 > 0:37:57He does do the proper dad job.
0:37:57 > 0:38:01But he's still a little boy inside.
0:38:01 > 0:38:04So...
0:38:04 > 0:38:07I didn't expect it to be as hard as it is.
0:38:09 > 0:38:10- Go on.- It's their child as well,
0:38:10 > 0:38:14they helped make it, so they should pay the way as well.
0:38:14 > 0:38:18Cos it's not easy. A tin of milk is near enough £12 now.
0:38:18 > 0:38:20That don't get you nowhere.
0:38:20 > 0:38:21So...
0:38:21 > 0:38:24If he got a job, it would be so much easier.
0:38:27 > 0:38:30Wes isn't the only teen dad on the estate.
0:38:30 > 0:38:34Almost all his mates are dads and out of work.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38His close mate Aaron has asked him to come round.
0:38:38 > 0:38:42With no money and a hungry baby, he's desperate.
0:38:42 > 0:38:44You know what you need to do, Aaron?
0:38:44 > 0:38:47Ask someone to lend you some money.
0:38:47 > 0:38:48Simple as.
0:38:50 > 0:38:51Simple.
0:38:51 > 0:38:54I went to my dad before yesterday to borrow money, innit?
0:38:55 > 0:38:58I can't do that now. Oh, you've been sick. Oh, bless.
0:39:00 > 0:39:03There's not many people out there that will borrow me things.
0:39:06 > 0:39:08They both know what the options
0:39:08 > 0:39:10for making money on an estate can involve.
0:39:11 > 0:39:14If I've got a bit of change in my pocket, I can go out there,
0:39:14 > 0:39:18grab a little set and I'll go flip it and make a little bit of money.
0:39:18 > 0:39:20You don't even want to be getting yourself
0:39:20 > 0:39:22- sucked into all this stupidness. - I know.
0:39:22 > 0:39:24I could ask to borrow money,
0:39:24 > 0:39:28but it's not like I need to borrow a little bit, you know, I need stuff.
0:39:28 > 0:39:29- Can I use your phone?- Yes.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35- MOCKING:- 'Hi, this is Jobcentre Plus.'
0:39:35 > 0:39:38- Please press one. - I hate this...
0:39:38 > 0:39:42Wes has decided to try and lend Aaron the money himself,
0:39:42 > 0:39:44but his JSA payment hasn't come through
0:39:44 > 0:39:46and the Jobcentre isn't much help.
0:39:55 > 0:39:57OK, then.
0:39:57 > 0:39:59Thanks. Bye.
0:40:01 > 0:40:04She said get a crisis loan for now. She said it ain't been processed.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07The last time they offered me a crisis loan - £14. Take the piss.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09I'm not even going to get mad about it.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Now I'll just have to see what else I can do.
0:40:17 > 0:40:20For now, he's as skint as Aaron.
0:40:22 > 0:40:26For Wes, one of the problems of being a teen dad
0:40:26 > 0:40:31is that his £53-a-week JSA makes no allowance for his son.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34As the mum, the extra benefits go to Laura.
0:40:34 > 0:40:38Today, she's going to the market with her mate, Sophie.
0:40:42 > 0:40:44Any four cheeses, £1!
0:40:44 > 0:40:47With my benefits, my money is every fortnight.
0:40:47 > 0:40:50On a good week, I do my proper shopping,
0:40:50 > 0:40:53so I go to Asda, get whatever there,
0:40:53 > 0:40:56and then, on the weekend, I go to the market.
0:40:56 > 0:40:58- Are these 60p?- Those are 60p.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02When you're on benefits and you're a young parent,
0:41:02 > 0:41:05it's absolutely rubbish. You can't do or buy what you want.
0:41:05 > 0:41:10I spend my other shopping in Asda with my milk token,
0:41:10 > 0:41:13which I get... I get £3.10 on each milk token.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17And then down here, I get my fruit and veg.
0:41:17 > 0:41:22I just got three mixed bowls of veg for £2.
0:41:22 > 0:41:25Young girls think, "Yeah, I'm going to have a baby.
0:41:25 > 0:41:28"I'll get this money, I don't have to work," and whatever.
0:41:28 > 0:41:30It's not like that. It's way harder.
0:41:32 > 0:41:36I mean, I think the boys around us need to grow up,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39and they need to understand that becoming a father
0:41:39 > 0:41:41isn't just being the sperm donor
0:41:41 > 0:41:44or being the guy that comes around every weekend
0:41:44 > 0:41:46and spends a few hours with his child.
0:41:46 > 0:41:50I'm saying, if you're there for your son, you see him a lot,
0:41:50 > 0:41:53you ain't got to worry about financial stuff
0:41:53 > 0:41:55until you can afford it. That's how I see it.
0:41:55 > 0:41:58- As long as you're there.- Mmm.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05'It doesn't take a baby to grow up, does it? We've learnt that.
0:42:05 > 0:42:09'But I think with boys, it takes longer to mature, doesn't it?'
0:42:09 > 0:42:12They've not had to go out and fend for themselves.
0:42:12 > 0:42:13I don't think they understand
0:42:13 > 0:42:16how good it feels to achieve something,
0:42:16 > 0:42:18and that's what they need to feel.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20That's the good thing about Wes.
0:42:20 > 0:42:22He does more than what the other lads do.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26And it turns out that one job application has been successful.
0:42:26 > 0:42:29We'll be doing the kick-up competition.
0:42:29 > 0:42:32Wes has landed his dream job of coaching football.
0:42:32 > 0:42:36It may be only for three weeks but it's paid work.
0:42:40 > 0:42:43'I signed off the Jobcentre so no more there.
0:42:43 > 0:42:45'Get paid,
0:42:45 > 0:42:49'then hopefully go out and find a permanent job.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51'Turn into a teacher.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54'That's how I feel. I feel like a teacher.'
0:42:54 > 0:42:58You tend to go one way and you drop and go that way.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01'When I was sitting at my house, ain't had a job, bored out my face,
0:43:01 > 0:43:03'I just felt like smoking a spliff,
0:43:03 > 0:43:07'but now that I'm actually doing something, I don't want to smoke.
0:43:07 > 0:43:10'I'm doing something that I enjoy.'
0:43:12 > 0:43:14And I'm getting paid for it.
0:43:14 > 0:43:15Six pounds something an hour,
0:43:15 > 0:43:18which is all right for kicking round a football,
0:43:18 > 0:43:19teaching kids, innit?
0:43:23 > 0:43:25I wouldn't mind getting into academies
0:43:25 > 0:43:28and coaching academies, cos I know I've got the level to do that.
0:43:28 > 0:43:33I know I can do that. So that's what I'm going to push for.
0:43:33 > 0:43:35INTERVIEWER: This a new start for you?
0:43:35 > 0:43:37Hopefully. I'd say so, actually.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40I can't say hopefully because there's no going back now.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd