Beatbullying has launched a £1m TV, print, outdoor and online advertising drive that highlights the plight of almost a million young people in the UK that are currently not in education, employment or training (Neet).

The ‘Waste’ campaign, created pro bono by ad agency M&C Saatchi, shows real Neets lying desolate on a rubbish tip.

The campaign aims to raise awareness of the charity’s FutureYou programme which also comprises a research report outlining the scale of the Neet problem and an online mentoring service for those affected, modelled on Beatbullying’s award-winning CyberMentors programme. Online Future You Mentors are available outside of normal working hours so that young people can get careers advice at times that suit them.

In order to cast the youngsters in the ad, FutureYou launched a social media campaign that led to a thousand young Neets offering to take part in the filming.

FutureYou is calling for professionals from a variety of industries to join the programme as mentors.  Staff from Google, Thomas Coook, NHS, Ofsted, TalkTalk, Barclays, Frank PR, M&C Saatchi and MediCom have already signed up.