Today, the Centre for Young Lives and Catch22 are publishing a new briefing, Opening up opportunity for the ‘lost generation’: the role of Young Futures in boosting youth employment, setting out how Young Futures Hubs can help tackle the growing crisis of young people who are not in employment, education, or training (NEET).
The interim report of the Milburn Review identified a “crisis of opportunity” for young people, as well as a fragmented system of employment support. Young Futures Hubs can play a central role in bringing together national policy and local provision into a system which identifies need earlier, removes barriers to opportunity, and offers a ‘single front-door’ to a joined-up local system of support.
The paper sets out the role of Young Futures Hubs in: fixing the architecture of support; building skills, confidence; and resilience; breaking the link between mental health and being NEET; tackling the risk factors of low attainment and school absence; providing work experience and practical employment support; and strengthening connections between Young Futures Hubs and DWP services.
The paper’s recommendations aim to ensure Hubs provide early intervention, sustained engagement, and effective routes into education, employment and training, especially for those most at risk of being NEET.
Key recommendations:
- Young Futures Hubs should include a comprehensive mental health offer
- Young Futures Hubs should establish formal partnerships with schools and Alternative Provision settings
- Guidance should encourage local authorities to embed Hubs within schools and other community spaces
- Careers advisers in Young Futures Hubs should be qualified professionals, working with schools to identify young people at risk of becoming NEET early
- Young Futures Hubs should offer high-quality work experience, employer-led projects, and part-time opportunities such as Saturday or holiday jobs
- DCMS, along with DWP, DHSC, DfE, and the Home Office should publish a comprehensive, joint guidance document for Young Futures Hubs
- Expand Young Futures Hubs through a cross-departmental Spending Review 2027 settlement