Reducing the Skills Gap is a young person led training programme that improves the development of employability skills in young people. The programme was designed to meet the needs of both employers and young people following research into youth unemployment which was carried out in 2012 by the North East Youth Network (NEYN) – a forum run by the Regional Youth Work Unit (North East) which brings young people together from different projects around the region.
The programme was piloted in early 2013 in two localities in the north and south of the region; in Tyne and Wear and Darlington. The three-week programme was conducted on a voluntary basis and incorporated five sessions delivered by a group of young people addressing six key skills which employers cited as lacking in some young people today. These six skills were: communication, commitment, professionalism, motivation, time management and teamwork.
The programme was then rounded off with a placement within a workplace setting. The participants’ progress was tracked via a skills questionnaire and each young person attended an interview with an employer at the start and also the end of the programme. Employer engagement was one of the key challenges faced by Reducing the Skills Gap but through the positive working relationships the NEYN established with Job Centre Plus, the Trade Union Congress, and Business in the Community work experience opportunities within sectors where participants had a real interest were secured for all trainees.
Key outcomes from the programme included a 100% retention rate and, encouragingly, 58% of participants went on to secure full-time or part-time employment after completing the course.
Overall, feedback from the participants and the placement hosts was extremely positive, and what sets Reducing the Skills Gap apart from other existing employability programmes is the fact it has been developed and delivered by young people, some of whom have first-hand experience of the issue. Members of the NEYN who were involved in the delivery of the programme are now looking at rolling the programme model out across the region and are exploring new partnership opportunities with organisations across the North East.
For more information about Reducing the Skills Gap, and to read the programme’s full evaluation report, visit www.rywu.org.uk.
