The UK has reached an 11-year high of young people who are not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET).
The latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures suggest 987,000 16-24-year-olds were not in work, education or training between October and December, equivalent to nearly one in seven people in that age range.
One of the biggest setbacks for getting into work for NEET young people is mental health issues, with over a third saying they are being held back by struggles such as anxiety.
At Inspire, we work holistically, with all our post-16 services linked together and able to work alongside each other.
A young person can come in and use our Youth Employment Service, then if they have mental health struggles, they can also use our wellbeing service.
Post-16 Project Manager Jackie Partridge revealed our YES service supported over 700 young people in Suffolk in 2024, but there’s plenty happening to ensure we can help as many people as possible.
For example, Inspire’s ongoing partnership with Sizewell C has shown how businesses can create change. A recent career event at their Leiston venue saw three people apply for internships they wouldn’t previously have had access to.
We’ve also worked alongside GMA Warehousing with their internship opportunities, seeing numerous young people start their careers with the company.
With Jackie adding that certain sectors don’t have any opportunities, it would be amazing for more businesses to get involved in opening doors and changing the lives of young people.
“Over 2024 we’ve supported a lot of young people, but we can only do so much without the wider community also doing more to offer opportunities for young people,” Jackie continued.
Find out more about our YES service here.
Also read: ‘Inspire gave me the confidence to realise my my full potential’
‘Inspire’s support showed me I am capable of more than I thought’
‘Inspire’s YES team helped me turn my passion in to a business’
