Asked by: Lord Bishop of Sheffield (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of potentially expanding the new Youth Guarantee to include 16 to 17-year-olds and 21 to 24-year-olds.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Youth Guarantee will initially provide support to 18–21-year-olds to ensure young people not accessing higher or further education have a clear pathway to access quality support.
Across the UK, 18 to 21-year-olds have lower employment rates compared to 22 to 24-year-olds, even when taking into consideration their increased participation in full-time education.
DWP provides extensive support at a national and local level for 16–17-year-olds and 22–24-year-olds. This includes flexible provision driven by local need, nationwide employment programmes and support delivered by work coaches based in our Jobcentres and in local communities working alongside partners. These young people will also be able to access tailored support through the DWP Youth Offer, which includes the Youth Employment Programme, Youth Employability Coaches and access to Youth Hubs across Great Britain.
We will continue to monitor the need to expand the Youth Guarantee during the delivery phase and through future evaluation.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Sheffield (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government what partnerships they plan to establish with local government to deliver the new Youth Guarantee outlined in the Get Britain Working White Paper (CP 1191).
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Get Britain Working White Paper identified a lack of accountability for support that joins up the various education, training and employment opportunities available to 18-21 year olds.
As a first step, the Get Britain Working White paper announced £45m funding for eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England. Our partnerships with local government will test one of the key objectives of the Youth Guarantee that ensures better connections through local systems, of knowledge and awareness of resource and services in local areas, to ensure all 18-21 year olds have easy access to a wide range of education, training or employment opportunities.
By working closely on the detail of the design and delivery of the Youth Guarantee with the eight trailblazer areas, we will be able to maximise the difference it makes to young people’s lives locally. The findings of the trailblazers will inform future approach.
We will also work in partnership with organisations at the national and local level to join up, enhance and champion their efforts as part of our new Youth Guarantee. Our first partnerships will be developed with Channel 4, the Royal Shakespeare Company and leading sports organisations including the Premier League.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Sheffield (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:
To ask His Majesty's Government how many of the eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas will be located in the north of England.
Answered by Baroness Sherlock - Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions)
The Government’s plan to Get Britain Working includes a new Youth Guarantee for all young people in England aged 18-21 to ensure that they can access quality training opportunities, an apprenticeship or help to find work. More detail on the Youth Guarantee will be set out in the upcoming Get Britain Working White Paper.
In the recent budget, the Chancellor announced funding for eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas to test new ways of supporting young people into employment or training, by bringing together and enhancing existing programmes in partnership with local areas. Decisions on the locations of the trailblazers will be announced in due course.