Hundreds of people converged in central London on Saturday to protest about youth unemployment and the rising cost of university education.

The march, sponsored by the Socialist-oriented Youth Fight for Jobs and endorsed by the Socialist Party and a handful of trade unions, stretched from University College London to Downing Street ending at a park near the Imperial War Museum.

Ben Robinson, 23, chairman for the Youth Fight for Jobs campaign, said the demonstration’s purpose was to urge the government to create job opportunities and expand educational opportunities.

He said: “Youth Fight for Jobs is about giving young people opportunities for education, not dictated by money.”

A handful of Kingston students were present to make their demands for jobs and free education clear, including first year student Jessica Joseph-Davey, who was there to demand a free education for all.

She said: “I know that education is life changing and it’s important that everyone has that chance. But with tuition fees, not everyone has that choice.”

Ms. Joseph-Davey hopes that the government will listen to the concerns of young people instead of spending money on useless projects.

She said: “[The government] spends money on really silly things that don’t benefit anyone. They spent money on bailing out the banks when they could be spending on education and better employment facilities for everyone.”

The demonstration culminated in a gathering near the Prime Minister’s residence on 10 Downing Street to deliver a petition “demanding one million jobs for youth.”

Sean Figg, an organiser, said that the Prime Minister was not available to respond to the petitions.

He said after his visit to 10 Downing Street: “No one is home, no one has a clue and no one is fighting for the people.”

Student organiser Neil Cafferky, 28, hopes to protect the interests of young people and ensure better opportunities for them.

He said: “In terms of training, we want to ensure that young people do not enter a cycle of unemployment and low wages, that they have opportunities to do socially useful jobs (not like traders) and have decent pay.”

For more photos from the day, see our picture gallery.