The Good Youth Employment Employer Forum had its inaugural meeting on the 18th of November, bringing together sector experts to tackle youth employment challenges and share best practices.
The forum of employers and sector experts will meet to discuss youth employment challenges and share best youth employment practices. The forum will concentrate on workforce development, employment pathways, outreach, recruitment, and retention, with a particular emphasis on supporting young people who face significant disadvantages in their journey to employment. Insights and practices from the forum will be disseminated across the Youth Employment UK network and Membership, aiding other employers in adopting and developing best practices.
Forum Leadership
The Forum is being Co-Chaired by Sharon Blyfield OBE, Head of Early Careers Coca-Cola Europacific Partners and Vice Chair of the Youth Employment UK Board alongside Peter Cheese, CEO of the CIPD.
The Forums Objectives
The forum has outlined key objectives to guide its work:
- To identify and discuss common youth employment challenges faced by employers.
- To share and evaluate practices and strategies for improving youth employment outcomes.
- To foster collaboration and networking among employers committed to youth employment.
- To develop actionable recommendations for policy and practice improvements.
Insights from the Inaugural Meeting
At the first meeting, the forum got to hear from Dr Rupal Patel, Policy & Research Director of Youth Employment UK, who discussed the current youth unemployment rates and challenges of economic inactivity and NEET levels. Rupal explored some of the systemic challenges of youth unemployment but also the challenges that are faced by those young people with protected characteristics who struggle the most in the transition into good work and outcomes.
Members of the Forum discussed their organisation’s experiences and what it is they are seeing as the challenges for young people.
Looking Ahead: Focus Areas and Future Meetings
The Forum members have agreed to spend time looking at the journey from education into employment, and what it is that young people need to better prepare them and support their confidence in their skills and their future career choices. Across a range of meetings, the Forum will hear from experts and discuss evidence and organisation experience before preparing a mini report for publication.
The 2024–2026 Forum Members
Forum Members have been chosen because of the good work they are already doing in the early careers space and their commitments to youth employment. They are Members or Partners of Youth Employment UK and will serve a two-year period on the Forum.
Forum Members for 2024 -2026 include:
- AtkinsRéalis
- Business in the Community
- Compass Group
- Central Co-Op
- Haven
- Lloyds Bank
- Movement to Work
- NCFE
- Pret A Manger
- Severn Trent
- WMCA
- Youth Futures Foundation
