Tackling youth unemployment
Young people are a main target group for ESF, especially those who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET.
ESF supports a range of employment and skills provision to help young people prepare for working life. It is used to deliver activity that engages young people and stimulates their interest in educational and vocational activity. It also supports their progression into employment, education and training.
The Skills Funding Agency is working on behalf of the Education Funding Agency (EFA, formerly the Young People’s Learning Agency) to fund ESF projects for young people aged 14-19 who face multiple barriers to their participation. The EFA liaises closely with local authorities to ensure ESF funding is used to target key areas of need.
In 2011-2013 Skills Funding Agency support for young people not in education, employment or training is c. £154 million and c. £181 million for Apprenticeships.
Case studies
ESF help for young people has been promoted in national ESF communications such as case studies, which showcase the activities and achievements of projects and the stories of individual or groups of participants. Examples include:
- Whatever It Takes project – which provides induction training in motor mechanics to young disabled people in Newcastle.
- Pathways project: With help from Rathbone and the Pathways Project in Manchester, Louis became more proactive in his job search, ultimately getting a job.
- Freestyle project – which provides support to re-motivate, re-engage and build confidence of young people, including Roadrunnerz, a group of young rappers from Camborne.
Celebrating success with young people
Held in November 2012, the national Skills Show event in Birmingham gave thousands of young people access to hundreds of skills, bringing together under one roof skills competitions, top employers, specialist careers advice and Have a Go activities. Around 30 ESF funded training providers, the Department for Work and Pensions’ ESF Division and the ESF-Works project were amongst those participating.
In the conference area an ESF seminar showcased ESF support for young people including those NEET. Presentations were given by representatives from the EFA, the European Commission and two projects working with young people – the Princes trust and Serco. All the seminar presentations are available to view on the ESF-Works website.
An additional bonus at The Skills Show was Lizzie Hosken winning the EAL Advanced Apprentice of the Year at the 2012 National Apprenticeship Awards which were given out at the event.
ESF-Works
The ESF-Works website includes an informative section (theme) about young people. This includes useful resources to help providers, project case studies and short films that tell the story of ESF participants.
Looking ahead – 2013 and beyond
Support for young people will remain a high priority for the current ESF programme until activity ends in mid-2015. It is also likely to feature in the 2014-2020 ESF programme arrangements that are in negotiation and development in 2013.
A trailblazer giving young people vital work experience and jobs advice to help them move away from benefits and into work was launched in 2012. Under the Day one support for young people project in London around 6,000 unemployed young Londoners with little or no work history will be helped to improve their job prospects through a package of support. The project started in November 2012 and will continue in 2013.
In November 2012 The Skills Funding Agency issued further invitations to tender for the delivery of ESF funded provision to provide skills support for the workplace through Apprenticeships and related workplace learning. These are expected to start from Spring 2013 and will build on a range of existing Skills Funding Agency provision (including Apprenticeships).
Adult Learners’ Week (ALW) is an annual week-long national campaign each May, which seeks to engage and inspire people to pursue adult learning.
Organised by the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education (NIACE), and part-funded by the ESF to help promote ESF activities and successes, ALW is the UK’s largest learning campaign. In 2013 NIACE are introducing a national ESF Young Adult Learner award winner. This will be awarded to a young person aged between 18 and 25 who has broken through the barrier of previously not learning, training, earning or working. Young Adult Learners are also eligible for further local level ESF awards.