As reported by Department for Culture, Media & Sport, a £15 million initiative, the ‘Building Futures’ programme, will offer personalized guidance, career coaching, and mental health support to up to 5,000 vulnerable 14-to-16-year-olds at risk of leaving education, employment, or training after turning 18.
This funding, allocated from the Dormant Assets Scheme, aims to provide young people with the guidance and support needed for a brighter future.
The move builds on Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer’s aim to give young people ‘someone to talk to, something to do and somewhere to go’ outlined in a recent keynote speech at the Onward Think Tank.
This funding is being allocated to Youth Futures Foundation from the Dormant Assets Scheme, which has unlocked £892 million to date. Dormant assets are financial products, such as bank accounts, that have been untouched for a long period. The Dormant Assets Scheme is led by the financial services industry and backed by the Government, with the aim of reuniting people with these financial assets. Where this is not possible, the money is unlocked for important social and environmental initiatives across the UK, such as funding to tackle youth unemployment.
The Government has also today announced a new Summer Jobs Programme for up to 2,600 young people at risk of becoming involved in youth violence and crime. These young people will be offered employment placements for up to six weeks, helping improve their job prospects and giving them something engaging to do.
Working in partnership with the Youth Endowment Fund and Youth Futures Foundation the programme will focus on areas with the highest crime rates, with young people referred to the programme by local authorities and pupil referral units to be provided with a job mentor and additional training opportunities.
To further support young people at risk of falling through the cracks, the Government is also co-funding at least 100 paid work placements for 9 to 12 months via the UK Year of Service. Funded alongside the NCS Trust, the programme gives 18 to 24-year-olds the chance to be set on a positive path towards long-term employment, education or training.
Participants will engage in socially beneficial roles such as working within conservation and biodiversity, supporting youth community groups, or helping provide local public services. They will receive tailored support and mentoring to grow their skills, as well as having the opportunity to help their local community.
To date, the UK Year of Service has supported over 300 young people and engaged with more than 80 employers, including grassroot charities, across the United Kingdom.
Today’s announcement builds on the Government’s ‘National Youth Guarantee’, that every young person aged 11 to 18 years old in England will have access to regular clubs and activities, adventures away from home, and volunteering opportunities by 2025, backed by an investment of more than £500 million investment. This includes the Government’s Youth Investment Fund of more than £300 million, of which £160 has been delivered to date. This will allow up to 300 youth centres across the country to be rebuilt or redeveloped, aiming to help 45,000 more young people access regular, positive activities every year.
Earlier this week it was announced that up to 7,500 disadvantaged young people are to be given access to adventures away from home, helping them develop vital life skills and build confidence. The youth work sector is also to be supported with vital funding and clearer guidance for local authorities.
The government also announced plans to help over 30,000 economically inactive 16 -24-year-olds into work by expanding the Youth Offer to a wider group of young people. The support of the Youth Offer, which includes access to Youth Hubs, mentoring from Youth Employability Coaches and more, will give tens of thousands more young people the help they need to get into work.
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