Youth unemployment is expected to continue to rise as the economic impacts of Covid-19 are fully realised. Before the Covid-19 crisis began there were approximately 750,000 young people not in employment, education or training (NEET). The Resolution Foundation, the Institute for Employment Studies and the Learning and Work institute have predicted there will be at least 600,000 more unemployed young people, with a further 500,000 expected to become NEET over the next 18 months. 

The role of the APPG for Youth Employment will be to champion youth employment in all its forms and provide a supportive but challenging response to government policy and investment.

September – December Inquiry

Making youth employment policy work

Following the £3.06bn government investment into new and existing youth employment initiatives in the summer, is there any sign of tensions in the systems and areas where young people can fall through the gaps? In this inquiry we will explore the key youth employment programmes and see what the early indicators are of success, it will aim to provide constructive feedback to the government to accelerate impact or where improvements need to be made if there are tensions in the system.

Inquiry Questions

• Are the summers announcements #PlanForJobs ambitious enough to address the youth unemployment challenge?
• Are their gaps and tensions that may cause a rise in further inequalities amongst groups of young people such as those furthest from the labour market?
• What more needs to be done to accelerate impact and ensure no young person is left behind?

This inquiry will launch in September 2020 and further information including meetings dates and details for inquiry submissions will be published in September.