National campaign to encourage MP’s to support youth employment

On the 9^th of July 2014 MP’s from across the UK will be invited to sign up to the national Youth Friendly badge at a parliamentary event.

Although youth unemployment has started to decrease the number of young people NEET (not in education, employment or training) remains too high and the number of young people experiencing long-term youth unemployment is rising.

Many Members of Parliament already support youth employment in some way in their constituencies, some offer work experience or support careers events and talks in schools.  Youth Employment UK CIC (YEUK) and the All-Parliamentary Party Group for Youth Unemployment want to see more MP’s championing this good practice and using their influence to encourage better youth engagement in their communities.

The Youth Friendly badge is a free award given to organisations who commit to supporting youth friendly activities.  The aim of the badge is to recognise those UK employers who do engage with young people and support those employers who don’t to embrace youth friendly practices.

Businesses who support young people benefit in so many ways, young people can add real value to an organisation bringing a new approach and creative ideas, but also it has a positive impact on developing the skills for the next generation workforce and creates a number of local economic benefits.

“If youth unemployment is to be significantly reduced we need to create a more Youth Friendly UK, employers of all sizes can and should be supporting young people in some way.  We are all becoming well versed on the issues of youth unemployment, emotionally, socially and economically, these are very real issues and as a country we simply are not supporting our young people enough.  Our politicians should be creating youth friendly constituencies and at the event on the 9^th of July we will be there to support them to do that” Says Laura-Jane Rawlings, Chief Exec of Youth Employment UK CIC.

Santander, Kent County Council, British Youth Council are amongst the growing number of organisations championing the Youth Friendly Badge.  The Skills Minister Matthew Hancock MP and Labour MP Andy Sawford are both badge holders and offering their support to this campaign.

Leading up to the event on the 9^th YEUK and its campaign partners will be empowering young people across the UK to lobby their own MP’s and ask them what they are doing for youth employment, and whether or not they can consider themselves as youth friendly.

 For the editor

Youth Employment UK CIC is a not-for-profit social enterprise that was established in 2012 in response to the growing youth unemployment crisis.  YEUK is the only campaigning and membership organisation working with all of the stake holders invested in youth employment.

Visit www.yeuk.org.uk to see the full range of YEUK services and campaign aims.

The All-Parliamentary Party Group (APPG) for Youth Unemployment was established in 2013 and is chaired by Pamela Nash MP.

The 3 steps to becoming Youth Friendly

1. Sign the Positive Youth Charter

2. Commit to two Youth Friendly activities a year (Careers Talks, Work Experience, Mentoring, Apprenticeships etc)

3. Self-assess companies behaviour against 8 Youth Friendly characteristics

List of Campaign Partners

• APPG Youth Unemployment
• UK Youth
• Future-Talent
• National Youth Agency
• Not Going To Uni
• AELP
• REC
• Bright Futures
• The Found Generation

• Broadstreet JCP
• Care Training East Midlands
• TUI Travel PLC
• UK Power Networks
• YHA England and Wales
• Savills UK Ltd
• Creative Academies
• Office of Matthew Hancock
• National Skills for Health
• Malet Lambert School
• London Youth
• Young Britain
• Santander
• Kent County Council
• UK Youth
• Tesco
• Baltic Training Services
• The Geffrye Museum
• National Youth Agency