At Kudos, we aim to ensure the young people we support are engaging with education or employment. This helps give them the best opportunities possible as they transition into adulthood.
So, we were pleased to see the white paper released by the Government, detailing their plans to invest more and create additional services to support those who are not working or learning.
Here, we outline the key points of the report and how we believe Kudos can make a difference when it comes to young people’s futures.
What is the Get Britain Working report?
The Government has unveiled ambitious plans to decrease the number of young people not in education, employment or training (sometimes referred to as NEETs).
The Department for Work and Pensions Get Britain Working report details some of the steps to be taken to help people gain the skills and qualifications needed to thrive, as well as providing additional opportunities.
A key focus in the white paper is the number of young people who are not currently working or learning – which stands at one in eight, or 900,000 individuals aged 16 to 24.
Plans include:
- The creation of a Growth and Skills Levy in place of the current Apprenticeship Levy, with additional foundation and shorter apprenticeship opportunities
- A new national jobs and careers service
- A Youth Guarantee to give all 18- to 21-year-olds in England access to education, training, an apprenticeship or support to find a job
- An independent review into supporting the third of young people who do not achieve Level 2 English and maths by the age of 16.
Key facts:
- The number of young people not working or learning who have a mental health condition has risen significantly in the last decade, now standing at one in five
- One in ten of young people not in education, employment or training are identified as having learning difficulties
- Around 40% of the young people not working or learning do not have a Level 2 or higher qualification (Level 2 is a GCSE grade 4 or higher, NVQ or equivalent).
How can Kudos help upskill young people?
Whilst much of the focus within the Government’s plans is on young people from the age of 18 (for example the Youth Guarantee only applies to those aged 18 to 21), the white paper does highlight the need to act to prevent individuals disengaging with education or employment before the age of 18.
This is where Kudos can make a real difference. When our young people come to us as 16 or 17, one of our core aims is to support them to seek a job or apprenticeship or enrol in a local educational setting.
They benefit from a plethora of wrap-around support services – also focused on their engagement in the community, and learning life skills which will stand them in good stead in the future – with dedicated staff teams who are there to help them achieve their bespoke targets.
By working with our young people to create individual plans and achieve the goals contained within them, engaging with them consistently, we can ensure their journey into work continues (or restarts for those who have already disengaged with education).
That first step on the career ladder – whether it be achieving their first Level 1 qualification, beginning an apprenticeship, or securing a job – is crucial to improving their future prospects. And it puts them in the best possible position to be able to take advantage of planned support such as the Youth Guarantee.
You can read the full white paper here. Or to find out more about Kudos’ supported living offer, you can email hello@kudossupport.co.uk, fill in our contact form, or call us on 01952 780783.
A very important topic, particularly as there are one in eight young people who are not in education, employment or training. These are significant figures and have been rising for some time, taking into account that what may be contributing to this statistic, are those that are identifying as having mental health issues.
It is recognised that these measures are part of a broader strategy to tackle unemployment and economic growth, and I will certainly be interested to see how an investment of £240 million is going to enable young people to access the relevant services to get them back into education, or onto apprenticeships or working; it is certainly a positive move in the right direction.