When I started rowing at a young age, the constant support and belief from my family gave me the motivation to succeed. I was also lucky enough to be surrounded by friends, including my Olympic rowing team-mate Andy Hodge, from near Skipton, who were there to encourage me when I needed it the most.

Not everyone has this kind of support; in fact some young people don't get any at all. Many young people battle through poverty, homelessness, family traumas and prison sentences every day.

Some grow up in care and think no one really cares. They lack direction or self belief and things are made worse when they are branded as "useless layabouts", giving them little or no hope of doing better.

When I won my gold medal at the Olympics, I found out what it was like to be in the public eye and to be hailed a national hero. But what if I hadn't done so well and I had to face the media spotlight for the wrong reasons? I doubt I'd be able to handle that. So how can normal children deal with being constantly stereotyped, as they are today?

Recent research shows that 60 per cent of national media coverage of young people is negative. This sends out a really messed up message, suggesting normal young people across the country aren't doing anything good.

This is simply not true. As an ambassador for The Prince's Trust, I've seen a huge number of young people overcome enormous challenges to turn their lives around.

In Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Post is setting a fantastic example by using its media platform to raise the profile of young people who have succeeded against the odds, turned their lives around and given back to their communities.

I believe that it's really important to repeat a success story when I hear one – especially to those who have little faith in our younger generations and who dismiss the "youth of today" as if they are one, rather than a collection of individuals with a unique set of hopes, dreams and talents.

Some would argue that a young person should be regarded with respect, because how do we know that, with the right guidance and in some cases a second chance, their future will not be equal to our present?

Take 20-year-old Candace from Leeds, who has turned her life around in the face of much adversity, after hitting a real low during her childhood. Things started to unravel for Candace when she became disruptive at school because of her dyslexia, a difficulty which shook her self esteem and left her feeling like a failure. This caused her relationship with her family to break down and she moved out of home.

By the age of 15, Candace was homeless, staying on friends' sofas each night and occasionally ending up on the street. She got in with the wrong crowd, started selling drugs and was arrested by the police. Life hit an all-time low.

For a while, Candace believed there would be no second chances for her. But then she joined The Prince's Trust's 12-week personal development course, Team, and things began to look up. She is now confident, studying cooking at college, has university aspirations and is committed to helping other young people facing situations like hers as a Young Ambassador for The Prince's Trust.

Candace's determination not only to turn her life around – but to improve the lives of other young people – is incredible. She is one of more than 3,000 young people across the region to challenge negative youth stereotyping by getting involved with The Prince's Trust last year. A whopping eight in 10 of the young people supported by us move into work, education and training – a number that speaks volumes about the importance of second chances.

Rather than labelling young people as "hoodies" or "no-hopers", we need to be supporting them now more than ever. Worryingly, it is our young people who are also bearing the brunt of this recession. In fact, we are already in danger of losing a whole generation of young people from the jobs market as the unemployed become the unemployable.

Last month in Yorkshire, 49,500 unemployed 18-24 year-olds collected job seeking benefits. Nationally, nearly one in five young people in the UK are now looking for work – the highest figure on record.

This is already costing the UK millions each month in benefits. But the impact on unemployed young people – who all too often face a downward spiral towards a loss of self-confidence – is immeasurable. We must not let the recession wipe out our young business talent. Young people bring so much to our communities – ideas, creativity, energy – so letting them fall by the wayside would be a disaster for the future of this country.

The Prince's Trust can help tens of thousands of young people into work every year. But the trust can't do it alone. All of us must share the responsibility to give young people the skills and confidence to reach their potential.

Now Yorkshire Post readers can help to unlock the hidden potential in disengaged young people living here in Yorkshire. By backing the
Yorkshire Post Christmas Charity Auction, sponsored by Grant Thornton in aid of The Prince's Trust, readers can make a tangible and lasting difference to the lives of young people in need of a second chance in 2010.

There are some truly great lots on offer and bidders have the chance to rack up some serious brownie points with those at the top of their Christmas lists. More importantly, by placing a bid, your generosity will extend far beyond the festive period – reaching well into the New Year where it will go on to give young people from Yorkshire the skills, confidence and motivation to secure a job and a future.


Gifts for a worthy cause

A host of unique gifts are to be auctioned off in a special Christmas fundraiser to help the Prince's Trust continue its work in the region, making a real difference to the lives of young people.

The Yorkshire Post has teamed up with accountancy firm Grant Thornton for the online charity auction, with all the money raised going to the Prince's Trust.

Each week for five weeks from Saturday, November 7, new lots will be announced in this newspaper – many of which would never otherwise be available
to buy.

Readers will have the chance to bid for a private tour around the gardens of Prince Charles's Highgrove estate, an opportunity to record your own music demo at one of London's leading studios, or tickets to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's sell-out Farewell Concert tour with backstage passes.

Also up for grabs are a day at the races, with a race named after you, a year's supply of champagne or a Porsche for the weekend. In total, lots worth more than £45,000 are on offer and all the money raised will support some of the Prince's Trust programmes in Yorkshire.

The Prince's Trust supports young people who are out of work, in trouble or in care, helping them launch businesses and gain valuable training and skills. The work of the charity has taken on greater importance given the present economic climate and soaring youth unemployment.

Pete Reed is an ambassador of the Prince's Trust. He was part of the Great Britain coxless fours boat that won a gold medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.