New £5.7m scheme launched to get unemployed youngsters into work

A new £5.7m initiative is to be launched across the West Midlands to help thousands of unemployed young people into work.

Funding for Connect to Work, secured by West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker, was approved at the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Investment Board on Monday, April 7.

Connect to Work is expected to help up to 1,400 people, aged 18-24 and with health conditions, land jobs during its first year. The initiative will potentially support thousands more in the following years.

It will build on the successful Thrive into Work programme through which nearly 9,800 people have been supported since 2018 to date.

The WMCA will work with its seven constituent councils and partners to provide tailored support for those young people on the initiative. It will also work with local businesses to better understand their workforce needs so young people can be matched to the right jobs, helping them to stay in employment.

Mayor Richard Parker with Obi-Omar Madufor at WMG Academy for Young Engineers in Solihull

Youth unemployment is more than double the national average in some areas of the West Midlands with over 26,000 18-24 years olds claiming some form of unemployment related benefits. 

Tackling the issue is a key priority for the Mayor, who last year launched his Youth Plan to help young people into work.

The Mayor said: “Every person in our region should have the same to access to work opportunities - including people with disabilities or long term health conditions.

“By having the same access to opportunities, everyone has the freedom to make the right choices for them - to help them earn, live independently and improve their health and wellbeing.

“The funding I have secured for the Connect to Work initiative, will support young people to do just that - helping to drive down youth unemployment and get our economy back on track.” 

Across the West Midlands there are 27,265 young people in receipt of Universal Credit, of which 12,660 have health conditions. Research shows that suitable, good quality employment can help individuals to better manage their health and secure workplace support.

The region is one of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in England focused on supporting young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) as part of the wider £250m Get Britain Working campaign that was announcement in the Chancellor’s autumn budget.

Get Britain Working aims to trail new ways of getting people into jobs, bringing together and building on existing support programmes. It will also collect evidence on how best to tackle health related economic inactivity.

Combined with Connect to Work this will create a strong offer for young people and support the Mayor’s plan to tackle youth unemployment in the region.

Information about the government’s Get Britain Working Trailblazer is available here: Biggest employment reforms in a generation unveiled to Get Britain Working again - GOV.UK