Youth Guarantee: A Step Towards Solving Youth Unemployment
Young people need a work promise, not just a youth guarantee. The current system lacks a permanent, connected strategy linking education, skills, and work, resulting in the treatment of symptoms rather than the causes of youth unemployment.
Almost a million 16 to 24-year-olds are not in education, employment, or training (NEET), with more than six in ten being economically inactive. NEET rates have hit their highest recorded level in a decade, highlighting the need for a comprehensive solution.
Fragmentation has failed young people.
The government's refreshed youth guarantee is a welcome safety net, but it is not enough. A connected, long-term youth employment strategy is necessary to address the root causes of youth unemployment. England has lived with entrenched youth unemployment for too long, and it is time for a change.
Youth Employment UK and partners in the Youth Employment Group have been calling for a joined-up national offer for years. It is essential to provide young people with a fair chance of finding decent work, regardless of their background or postcode.
Author's Summary
A comprehensive strategy is needed to address youth unemployment.