Young people submit evidence to House of Lords report
Access Generation’s peer panel submitted evidence to the House of Lords youth unemployment committee.
The evidence has now been published in a report (Skills for Every Young Person) calling on the government to act on its recommendations.
The House of Lords committee wanted to understand the jobs landscape for young people as two-thirds of job losses during the pandemic affected those under 25.
As an organisation that gives young people a platform to share their views on recruitment with business, Access Generation’s peer panel were invited to submit evidence based on their own experience and research.
Peer panel board members, Afra Padmore, Kate McQuaid and Sarah Gaylard, took the lead on gathering the evidence from our work and research and views from other peer panel members.
Their recommendations were to:
- Conduct effective research to identify the social groups and sectors that need the most support from the government
- Invest in the youth’s future career by providing training and skills development opportunities that are well suited to their needs and accessible to all
- Promote job creation by encouraging businesses to employ young people through apprenticeship, training and placement schemes.
The committee is calling on the government to do more. It has set out the following recommendations:
- Create a long-term national plan for identifying, measuring and addressing skills mismatches
- Recalibrate the compulsory components of the national curriculum and performance measures
- Devise a new way of funding further education
- Reform the apprenticeship levy so that is more focused on young people
- Launch an education and workplace race equality strategy
- Ensure disadvantaged young people have access to quality careers guidance
- Appoint an independent young people’s commissioner for people aged 16 to 24
