14.09.11: Quarter of young people (not in work) do not think they will find job

Last month many young people up and down the country collected their exam results and left the school gates facing a choice between further education, training or employment. Last week children across the country started their new school year. It is a time of great excitement but for many it is also a time of uncertainty. The latest figures show that nearly 1 million (979,000; 16% of 16-24 year olds*2) are NEET (not in education, employment or training). Ahead of youth unemployment figures published on Wednesday 14th September, this uncertainty has been captured in a new survey (CLICK HERE) from the Private Equity Foundation and YouGov which has found a quarter of young people who are not working do not think they will find a job in the next year (28%).

The survey finds over one in ten young people (12%) have never done any work experience and one in four (26%) will have left school without interacting with an employer e.g. through a careers day, one-off presentations or ongoing talks from employers. The majority of young people are acutely aware of how important this contact with employment is with 64% believing previous work experience is one of the most useful ways for them to get a job.

Shaks Ghosh, Chief Executive of the Private Equity Foundation:

“All too often we hear about a lost generation but we know these young people are not lost they just need the right support – this highlights once again some of the key deficits that our young people face as they venture into adulthood. By bringing public, private and voluntary sectors together to harness their talents we can help this next generation realise their full potential”

For those young people who are already out of education, employment or training (NEETs), a key characteristic that differentiates them from their non NEET peers is their connection to the world of work. The NEET young people surveyed by YouGov are almost twice as likely to have out-of-work parents (24% of NEETS did not mention their parents are in work compared with 14% of non-NEETS). Private Equity Foundation has found this a common issue with Place2be one of our charities in Burnley finding just 12 children at a primary school of 360 knew anyone in work.

This deficit is further highlighted by a  lack confidence in the four vital skills critical for gaining employment (“labour market premiums”) –  knowledge of the world of work, technical skills, literacy and numeracy, employability/soft skills. These premium skills were highlighted in our report with Demos earlier this year – the Forgotten Half

Shaks Ghosh,

“These young people are showing a lack of confidence in the skills they currently have to make the transition from school to work. We are failing to provide the support necessary to prepare these young people to reach their full potential in the workplace and in life. Policy makers should prioritise this.”

This is why the Private Equity Foundation produced a manifesto for action earlier this year acting as a clarion call for us all to work together and support those young people most at risk of becoming NEET.

According to Graham Stuart, Chairman of the Education Select Committee:

“With around 1 million young people falling into this category we urgently need leadership and a coordinated strategy to help each one reach their full potential.  These young people must be prioritised so that they build the skills and gain the support they need to reverse their current disengagement.”

To discuss this further with Shaks Ghosh or for more information, please contact: joe@privateequityfoundation.org

-Note to editors-

The Private Equity Foundation (PEF) was established in 2006 to support children and young people in reaching their full potential. From birthplace to workplace, disadvantaged young people face numerous barriers to achieving at school, developing their skills and getting into employment. PEF works to develop and scale proven, highly effective interventions that remove these barriers, so that many more children and young people can be given a chance to succeed. PEF has helped over 40,000 young people and secured over 20,000 hours of pro-bono assistance www.privateequityfoundation.org

Poll of young people carried out by YouGov online among 991 adults aged 16-24. In total 404 NEETs were interviewed and 587 non-NEETs, with data weighted by working status. Fieldwork was undertaken between 25th March - 11th April 2011.

*1: 2009/10 stat

*2: Department of education quarterly NEET statistics (August 2011)

Click here for YouGov/Private Equity Foundation Young People Report