THE YMCA is challenging the next UK government to remove some of the barriers which prevent youngsters get into work.
Central YMCA, which supports young people into work through its national YMCA Training operation, has launched a roadmap of eight key recommendations.
Its Pathways Into Employment Manifesto 2015 calls for a full review of the ways in which Ofsted grades training providers.
YMCA believes that the current method is limiting opportunities for young people from hard-to-reach groups and penalising training providers for investing time in individuals who may have huge potential but lower initial attainment levels.
The charity is calling for the removal of the current 16-hour rule for young people?in full-time skills study programmes.
It also believes there should be an expansion of the scheme to allow the full recovery of training costs to those aged 19 and older in certain sectors where it‘s not always possible to employ younger apprentices, such as healthcare.
Rosi Prescott, CEO of Central YMCA, says: “As economic recovery leads to a natural reduction in unemployment there is a danger that, whichever government comes into power at the next election, they will think it’s “job done” when it comes to youth unemployment.
“This cannot be allowed to happen. The impact of sustained unemployment for young people will last for the rest of their lives. Even after they re-enter the workforce, young people who have had significant periods of unemployment are at increased risk of becoming unemployed again and, research shows, earn less on average than their peers who have unbroken education and employment histories.”
