A POSTER campaign has raised eyebrows after adverts for ‘getting high’, and ‘pick-pocketing’ were seen around Leamington.
Young People First (YPF), which supports vulnerable and disadvantaged young people across Warwickshire, put up the ads to stir up debate around the lack of government support.
The posters – designed by BIrmingham-based street artist Foka Wolf – include slogans such as ‘Love getting high?’, ‘Become part of our glue sniffing team’ and ‘How to be a successful pickpocket’, along with a phone number.
Calls to the number go through to an answer message which provides details about the charity and how to get support.
The posters were designed to demonstrate three main focuses of the charity – care leavers, youth groups and mental health – reflected in the respective posters.
YPF spokesman David Skoppek said the posters had captured the attention of both young and old in the town.
He explained: “We wanted to create a campaign that was bold and disruptive to effectively demonstrate exactly what Young People First does.
“Foka’s intent isn’t satirical but encourages people to think more about certain issues including government funding, unemployment and substance abuse.
“The posters caught the attention of young people and provoked concern among older people in the community. The response we have received from the public successfully reflects our intended outcome for the campaign.
“Our vision is that no young person should be limited by disadvantage.
“We aim to inspire young people to reach their fullest potential and support them in overcoming the personal barriers preventing them from achieving.
“Some young people don’t think they’re worth anything and resort to desperate measures because they think they’re out of options. We want to change that.”
Visit www.youngpeoplefirst.org.uk for further details
