Reframing the narrative on youth employment

The right job can transform a young person’s life – and the right young hire can uplift an organisation. But youth employment is far from a balanced picture; it’s imperative that employers can remove barriers to access and channel their unique levers to connect young people with meaningful job opportunities.

Youth Employment Week, an annual celebration of young people and employers taking place this July, presents organisations the chance to connect with young talent and establish sustainable recruitment strategies. And with this year’s theme being “Creating Opportunity for all”, it’s a reminder of the urgent need to encourage social mobility across the board.

Social mobility is a shared concern

Unemployment has risen to its highest level for two and a half years, according to official figures, while economic uncertainty and deepening poverty has only raised the barrier to employment for many disadvantaged youths. In fact, young people are three times more likely to be unemployed than any other age group.

This trend is intrinsically linked to the rising number of young people experiencing – or at risk of – homelessness, with almost 136,000 approaching their local authority for help last year. And with an estimated £8.5bn cost to our economy, youth homelessness is an issue that affects us all.

As a leading talent and workforce solutions provider, we’re lending our expertise and national reach to help level the playing field for young people, and ultimately do the right thing. Since 2019, we’ve been partnered with EveryYouth, a charity dedicated to ending youth homeless by driving social mobility for the UK’s most disadvantaged young people. To date, our year-round fundraising efforts have raised over £375,000 in funds and created a lasting social impact; equating to 258 young people placed into an employment, education or training pathway, or over 13,700 hours of 1-2-1 job coaching support.

Breaking the cycle of youth unemployment and homelessness requires a united front, and organisations play a collective role in facilitating a more sustainable labour market. From our experience working with EveryYouth – and the regular conversations we have with young people – we know how important it is that organisations remain open in their hiring processes and facilitate inclusive cultures. This includes:

• working more closely with schools and wider education authorities
• providing increased work experience and paid opportunities
• focusing on hiring based on skills and future potential over qualifications and experience (contact our Skills and Learning team to access emerging talent through a skills-based model)
• creating more accessible and transparent application processes (consult our What Workers Want report to find out what younger generations look for when applying for jobs)

Going beyond the first point of contact, it’s also vital that employers can provide continued support – both in a financial and career sense – to mitigate the risk of young people falling back into unemployment, and potentially homelessness.

Empowering young people for the future

The world of work continues to evolve; job applications are increasingly digital, while emerging technology – namely, artificial intelligence (AI) – means the skills needed to stay relevant are in constant flux. While this might offer new opportunities for those with the right support, the barriers to entry have only increased for our most disadvantaged young people, who may not have access to the IT, knowledge and networks required to break into meaningful employment.

Reflecting the new obstacles that young people face, our partnership with EveryYouth undertook its own evolution in the shape of Project Flourish: a first of its kind pro bono consultancy service designed to tackle inequality in employment opportunities. We’ve generated over £136,000 in social value through our Project Flourish activities to date, connecting our enrolled young people with selected employers spanning the country.

Both employers and young candidates are provided with continued support through our Learning Management System and dedicated mentorship scheme, ensuring that a young person’s individual needs are catered for and that they are equipped for the future of work. The success of this can be seen through Akame’s life changing journey from refugee to valued team member, as she gains skills to set her up for her future.

Additionally, we’ve provided £60,000 of initial funding for the Hays Super Boost bursary, alleviating financial barriers for young people participating in Project Flourish, and aiding the transition to employment and independent living.

Creating a better tomorrow, together

Employment inequity is a national issue, and linking up with other businesses and organisations is an effective way of increasing your reach and engaging with the next generation of talent.

Consider partnering with a charity dedicated to delivering employability opportunities for young people, such as Movement to Work, who we became a member of earlier this year. Through shared resources, knowledge and industry connections, organisations have a better chance of supporting more young people and maximising positive outcomes.

As a signatory to the Crisis Homelessness Covenant, we’re providing insights via our Project Flourish pilots, helping employers better understand different ways of supporting young people and the benefits of doing so. Along with engaging young talent, making a pledge towards inclusive employment will send a clear message to your customers and people that you care about a more sustainable future of work.

Young talent is your opportunity

Hiring young talent is not only a way of driving better outcomes, but a proven solution in the face of ongoing skills shortages, and a powerful way to build and benefit from a diverse talent network. Hiring young people is an effective way of addressing long-term talent pipeline challenges and gaining agile, highly trainable talent in a tight market. Moreover, you’ll bring on board fresh perspectives; teams that include young professionals are often better positioned to understand and fulfil changing customer expectations.

Despite the clear business case for engaging emerging talent, certain barriers can create a disconnect between employers and young people; from a shortage of work experience opportunities and a lack of understanding regarding career paths, to overly rigid job specs and inaccessible application processes.

Perhaps the greatest barrier, however, is confidence. According to research from Bright Network, candidates from lower socioeconomic backgrounds – especially those who intersect with underrepresented groups – cite a significant drop in confidence when looking to secure a graduate role. It’s therefore vital that employers can consider the unique experiences of young people when looking to gain and develop their skills, providing the necessary pastoral care to support their individual circumstances.

To help you effectively engage and empower emerging talent, our Early Careers service provides end-to-end support with identifying, sourcing and onboarding the next generation of talent, with a clear focus on your organisation’s skills requirements.

Inequity persists in our working world, with many of today’s young people locked out of tomorrow’s opportunities – and we all stand to lose out on the innovation, perspectives, and verve that they bring. To turn the chapter on youth unemployment, and the wider impact it has on society, it’s our collective responsibility to create a more inclusive world of work and better outcomes for all.

Get in touch today to enhance your early careers strategy, and discover how Project Flourish can simultaneously drive social mobility and meet your organisation’s commitment to inclusive recruitment.