A CHARITY worker is urging the government to listen to young people instead of "sticking plaster" over their problems.

Takyiwa Danso, who grew up in Tottenham, works on international charity projects for the Al Khair Foundation in Bounds Green.

The 22-year-old, who is speaking out as part of International Youth Day which was held on August 12, believes young people in the UK are marginalised and undervalued, which can lead to riots.

She said: “Sometimes I feel that we are an easy target, and that is made worse because we do not have that outlet to defend ourselves. We don’t have that platform.

“We are often seen as being lazy or uninterested and apathetic to what is going on in politics.

“But when I talk to other young people my age I hear how passionate they are and how much they want to change certain things in their local communities or in their schools or universities.”

Takyiwa began volunteering for the Second Haringey’s Boy’s Brigade youth club when she was 16, as she believes having a good start in life is paramount.

But she feels that even after the Tottenham riots, the money pumped into the area has not addressed the real issues youth face.

She added: “There is a generation that has missed out who aren’t able to properly benefit. They need to work on not letting that happen again.

“You don’t want another riot, but it was because people were angry. You need to address why they are angry as opposed to just sticking a plaster over it.”

Takyiwa derives her own motivation from her experience after working with VSO in Kenya, where she only had limited time and resources to achieve her goals.