A woman who just two years ago was without a job and struggling to pay her mortgage is now working with a top pop band.

Dawn Feather, from Silsden, has become a successful freelance video film editor and is helping to make behind-the-scenes documentaries with Boyzone about their comeback tour.

Dawn, 24, was helped by the Prince's Trust to launch her business and she has been chosen by the charity to take part in an initiative to tackle negative perceptions of young people.

As a young ambassador she will give talks and participate in debates with the aim of inspiring other young people.

The young ambassadors scheme is being introduced in the wake of increasing reports of teenage knife and gang crime and aims to highlight youngsters' positive contributions to communities.

Dawn had dreamed of working as a film editor from the age of 12 but struggled to get her first break and worked in a supermarket to pay the bills.

She soon became depressed, with no outlet for her creative skills.

"It was pretty soul destroying," she said. "No one liked me - I think it's because they knew I didn't want to be there."

Eventually she got so frustrated with shelf stacking that she quit, with nothing else lined up.

In 2006, struggling to pay the mortgage and desperately wanting to return to work, she contacted the Prince's Trust.

She met with one of its business managers and was given a £1,000 grant and £1,700 loan to buy equipment and set-up her freelance video editing company.

Dawn said working with the trust had hugely boosted her confidence and meanwhile her business is going from strength to strength.

She said her work with Boyzone had been interesting and enjoyable. "The band and whole crew are really nice people," she said.

Dawn feels that young people have an unfair reputation.

She said: "I was involved in a film editing workshop recently at a football ground. Some of the people involved were worried the young people may disrupt things and behave badly.

"In the end they were persuaded that this wouldn't be the case and they were really pleased at how well everything went."

Dawn is keen to remind people that everyone deserves a second chance. She said: "Every young person has the ability to succeed. If you want to get back into work, contact the trust - the people there really know what they're talking about."

As part of the Prince's Trust national young ambassador scheme, more than 200 people are promoting the positive message about youth.