Denise Hatton, Chief Executive of YMCA England, the national council of YMCAs across England, has today welcomed the news that youth unemployment for 16 to 24-year-olds has fallen 136,000* in the past year.
She said: “It is encouraging to see youth unemployment figures falling and a continuing trend showing that more young people are in work. At YMCA, we see firsthand the negative impact that not having a job can have on young people and this is evidence further still of what we have long believed – that they want to work and want to contribute to their communities.
“We do recognise, however, that youth employment is still well below the 2008 pre-recession level, which means more needs to be done to help young people benefit equally from our economic recovery.
“Specifically, we want to see policies in place that will support young people to find long-term, sustainable employment. YMCA research has shown this starts with effective careers guidance in schools, increased help for those transitioning from education into work and a more long-term view towards employment and careers from job centre advisers.”
Stats courtesy of Office for National Statistics