£10 million programme launched to help young people into work or training

A new £10 million programme to support young people Not in Employment Education or Training (NEETs) to re-engage with work and education opportunities has launched in Greater Manchester.

Career Connect and Ingeus have each been awarded £5 million from the European Social Fund to deliver a NEET and Youth Employment Programme on behalf of Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA).

The programme will support 6,000 young people in the city-region aged between 15 and 24 with bespoke advice, guidance and individualised support to make progress between January 2022 and September 2023. Career Connect will support those aged between 15 and 19 and Ingeus will focus on young adults between 18 and 24 years.

The NEET and Youth Employment Programme has been developed after many young people in the city-region were negatively impacted as a result of Covid-19.

After joining a similar programme in September 2021, Chloe Allen, 18 from Oldham, is encouraging others to explore their options. She said:

“I left college when I found out I was pregnant with twins. Being a young mum as well as helping my dad look after my sister who has disabilities meant that I didn’t have much time to myself.

“I got some advice off a friend and she signposted me to the Stepping into NHS programme.

“At the beginning, I felt drained and I was nervous. My anxiety gets bad when I meet new people but I took a risk and I realised that nothing comes easy.

“None of my friends have kids so learning with other people I could relate to was amazing. We’ve got a WhatsApp group and contacted each other on Snapchat. Knowing I had that support felt good.”

Cllr Bev Craig, lead member for Education Skills, Work, Apprenticeships and Digital in Greater Manchester said:

“We know that the pandemic has had a significant impact on our young people.

“Those in education had their learning disrupted and those in work, particularly across the retail and hospitality sector, have been affected by furlough or job losses.

“We want them to know that they haven’t been forgotten. The NEET and Youth Employment programme has been developed to give a helping hand to those who aren’t sure what their next step should be.

“The programme brings together a network of experienced partners who can provide specialist advice and guidance, ensuring our young people get the best possible support.

“Like Chloe, we hope that this programme boosts confidence and encourages the city-region’s young people to reach their ambitions.”

For more information about either of the two programmes, please visit Start FutureYou or Career Connect’s Connect to Your Future page.