YMCA England: Helping young people build a future

YMCA England has today condemned the Government's continued failure to address the high levels of youth unemployment.

The criticism follows the release of the latest unemployment figures which has seen the number of young people aged 16-24 out of work pass the 1 million level.

Ian Green, YMCA England Chief Executive, said: "The Government has talked a lot about the issue of youth unemployment, but the latest unemployment figures show that talk is all it is at present and that Government policies are fundamentally failing young people across the country. To have one million young people out of work – nearly 1 in 4 of our young people – is a national tragedy and one that have will consequences upon this country for years to come.

"The Government has got to rethink its approach. Since coming to office it has scrapped schemes like the Future Jobs Fund and placed considerable emphasis around apprenticeships. However, recent figures released by the Government have shown that that these apprenticeships are being created quickest for those over the age of 25, not for the 16-24s.

"My recommendation to the Government would be to spend less time sitting around at breakfasts talking about the issue of youth unemployment and actually put in place incentives to employers to take on young people. The YMCA has already argued to the Chancellor of the Exchequer that announced reductions in Corporation Tax in his budget should be linked to the creation of jobs for young people. It is through the work and skills of the next generation of young people that future economic growth and success will depend, but the Government, through its policies, is failing to recognise this fact."

ENDS

If you require further information, please contact Jennie Farrell at the YMCA England press office at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Notes to Editors

Founded 166 years ago, the YMCA in England is made up of 135 local YMCAs working to ensure that young people have opportunities to thrive and contribute positively to their communities.

YMCA operates in over 250 communities in England with 135 local representations, and covers four key areas of work:

1. Offering a safe place to stay – every night, over 7,200 young people stay at a YMCA.
2. Giving young people a fresh start – the YMCA gives young people the support they need to get their lives back on track.
3. Vital support – the YMCA offers a variety of services that help to promote positive family relationships.
4. Helping communities to get active - the YMCA is also the leading provider of industry training in physical activity with over 67,000 people receiving YMCA fitness industry qualifications.