YMCA responds to Work and Pensions Committee report ‘Employment opportunities for young people’ that looks into the support needed for young people to find sustainable employment.
Denise Hatton, Chief Executive of the National Council of YMCAs in England and Wales, said: “Successive Governments have quite rightly identified youth unemployment as a key policy area yet, despite a consistent rhetoric, we are still seeing young people let down and left behind.
“Our Safety Net or Springboard research into employment support for young people labelled job centres as ‘not fit for purpose’ and also highlighted the ‘dehumanising and demoralising’ effect they can have on young people looking for sustainable employment. We, therefore, welcome the fact that improvements to the image and perception of Job Centre Plus has been highlighted today.
“However, a simple rebranding exercise is not enough if the Government is serious about achieving its ambition of ‘full employment’ for young people.
“YMCA is also calling for more tailored guidance for young people searching for work, greater awareness building around the benefits of apprenticeships and better in-work support for young people once they have made the transition into employment to ensure short-term jobs become long-term careers.
“Without these necessary changes to both policy and perception, young people at YMCAs and beyond will continue struggle to access the springboards they need to get into satisfying, sustained work in the long term.”