Campaign uses confessions to promote employment of 'troubled' young people

Whitelion, a non-profit that provides youth-focused services in several areas, works to provide self-development and employment opportunities to young people who have been involved in the youth justice system.

The organisation launched the campaign this week through an online video that features real confessions by “respectable” Australians, including celebrities and senior business figures, who talk about their past mistakes.

Viewers are encouraged to visit the website and add their voice to the cause by using their webcam to record an anonymous, pixelated and voice-distorted confession. 

Throughout the next month the campaign will be pushed through social media and will literally hit the streets in Sydney in the form of a mobile “confession booth”.

Ultimately, the campaign aims to open up a dialogue with employers and to help more young Australians into employment.

“Young people need our support to show them that no matter what obstacles they have faced, they can work towards a positive future," Mark Watt, CEO of Whitelion. "We are asking the business community to support this campaign by providing young people with employment opportunities that will change their lives.”

“Instead of persuading employers about how nice youngsters who have been to jail are, we decided to prove that every employee, no matter what their current position, has done something wrong in their past," said BMF joint ECDs Carlos Alija and Laura Sampedro. "Having 'respectable' citizens confess their sins publicly is something we hope people will start a conversation around.”