Valencia's young people struggle to find work in crisis

Manuel and Ramon have found work by setting up their own online company

There's more uncertainty over Greece's future in the euro.

France and Germany are meeting to talk about whether or not the Greek prime minister should be given more time to sort out the country's money problems.

It's important because what happens in the eurozone has a knock-on effect for jobs and businesses in the UK.

When the financial crisis hit Spain, university graduate Maria Luz found herself in the line of fire.

She said: "I worked for five years at a construction company in Valencia but the property bubble burst and it took its toll. It shut down."

The 30-year-old found it impossible to find work in another company.

Marie has found work with Donatas' online design business

"In the end my partner Donatas, who has set up his own design business online, asked me to work with him. So we just did it ourselves."

Unemployment in Spain has been spreading across the country's most educated young people since 2007.

It's risen to 52%, the highest rate in the EU.

In Valencia the unemployment rate in the first quarter of 2011 was 24.73% according to the European Commission.

"I'd rather start up myself rather than rely on getting help from the government," said Donatas.

It's an attitude many young Spaniards are starting to take in the current crisis.

According to Clive Pembridge, who runs the Spanish version of the website freelancer.com, hundreds of thousands of young people there are starting their own businesses.

He said: "The kind of industries Spain has supported (construction) are suffering and the sorts of things young people want to get into are design, online, technology. There's no encouragement."

Promises of help

Alberto Fabra, president of the Valencian Community, says he aims to provide jobs for 15,000 of the area's unemployed young people.

Plans include allocating 100 million euros (£70m) for a youth employment plan.

Twins Manuel and Ramon Garcia Del Ojo, 27, aren't waiting on promises though. After three years of unemployment following university, they started up their own web development business.

Luis, Jose and Moises are self-made and aren't relying on the government

"The internet is the best global platform for young people now," they said.

"We try to follow the style of the American start-up culture, like Facebook. Young people need to be more entrepreneurial now. We have to help ourselves."

Starting up your own business is one thing, but it's difficult to get the support initially.

Luis Bermudez is a 27-year-old graphic designer in Valencia and relies on freelancing online as well.

"The government doesn't do anything for us," he said. "They say they will give us money to start but in reality they haven't. I think sometimes they lie to us."

Even getting paid for their work is proving tricky, as Maria and Donatas have discovered.

"We don't take on any Spanish clients," said Maria. "When it comes round to paying, most of them disappear."

They also find in their experience that being young and starting out alone is more of a help than a hindrance.

"We're treated like children," claims Donatas. "They think we're just kids studying and looking for tips when we're trying to make a living for ourselves."