The rising tide of young people on the employment scrapheap is perhaps the single biggest tragedy of the current recession.

Thousands are leaving school with no prospect of work and that rising tide of misery is one of the main motivations behind the launch of our Foundation For Jobs campaign today.

We are in danger of seeing a lost generation of youths with no work and no prospect of work unless things improve quickly. Of the 20,000 in Bradford who claim Jobseekers’ Allowance, almost 6,000 of them are young people.

That is why this campaign is not just about words, and goes beyond simply calling for action. The Telegraph & Argus is, effectively, putting its money where its mouth is in a very real sense.

We are offering free and reduced advertising space in the paper and on our website to those looking for work and those seeking workers. We are making an investment in a bid to stimulate the jobs market in the Bradford district.

Our campaign will run in conjunction with other initiatives which are already under way, like the Council’s Get Bradford Working project and the Producer City initiative.

It is all about doing everything possible to match up those who want to work with those who need staff, and helping both sides find the right match.

Of course, the work has to be there in the first place, and what we don’t have is a job creation magic wand.

But by working with any and every agency involved in finding or creating jobs and by helping to remove some of the barriers facing employers and would-be employees, we believe we can make a real difference and help reduce the staggering human cost of unemployment that is being paid as a result of this recession.