A drive to help more teenagers to find work and continue in education or training beyond the age of 16 is enabling Leeds to buck the national trend of rising unemployment among this age group. The number of Leeds teenagers aged 16-18 not in education, employment or training (NEET) fell to 8.3% per cent in February (1822 young people) according to recently released figures, the lowest in six years for this time of year. This compares with national figures of nearly a million young people not in education, employment or training, an average of nearly 18% of 16 to 24 year olds. This continues the improvement trend in Leeds where the NEET figure has been at a six year low each month since November.
Connexions information, advice and guidance services for 14 to 19-year-olds in Leeds is delivered by Prospects, one of the UK’s leading providers of education, training and guidance services. Terry Walsh, Director for Prospect’s Connexions services in Leeds said;
“The latest figures show that we are making a real impact in helping young people realise their ambitions and the hard work and dedication of the Connexions service working with the City Council and other partners is paying off.”
An example of successful work by Prospects with NEET young people concerns P, who had been unemployed for almost a year. Although she had good qualifications she struggled to find work because she did not have any work experience. P’s Personal Advisor helped P to improve her interview techniques and identified a suitable job opportunity through the Prospects vacancy service. P was successful in getting the job and subsequently contacted her Personal Adviser to thank her for all the help provided.
Recently the Connexions service in Leeds ran five ‘Progression Events’ across the city to support young people about to leave school or who are currently unemployed. Progressions 2010 was a fantastic opportunity to meet local colleges, training providers and employers to find out about jobs and training opportunities. The Connexions service is planning other such activities throughout the summer to help ensure that the current downward trend in youth unemployment continues.
Young people in Yorkshire are already supported by Connexions services run by Prospects in Barnsley and Rotherham. Bradford also appointed Prospects to run their Connexions service in December. The company has more than a decade of experience in delivering services to 13 to 19-year-olds (13-25 for those with learning difficulties and disabilities) in over 20 areas all around the country.
Prospects offers a wide range of education, guidance, training and employment services – extending from Barrow to Brighton and the West Country to Norfolk. The company is already well established in Yorkshire; it has delivered adult information, advice and guidance (IAG) services in Sheffield since 2004 and is one of the partner companies in Careers Yorkshire and the Humber, the prime contractor for nextstep, the adult information, advice and guidance service, in the region.
For further information about the events please contact:
Simon Hewitson on 0113 226 2180. The Connexions Centre can be found at 1 Eastgate, Leeds LS2 7LY