The report calls for the creation of a dedicated national unit headed by a minister who would be responsible for oversight and coordination of the Government's response. It argues the priority must be long-term youth unemployment, which has quadrupled over the past decade and more than doubled since the start of the recession. While there is no shortage of government initiatives, there is an urgent need for an accountable, cross departmental unit to join up policy at a national level.
Drawing on interviews, data analysis and a review of current policies, Short-term crisis, long-term problem: Addressing the youth unemployment challenge examines the characteristics of young unemployed people and sets out a detailed agenda for action. ??
Neil Lee, report author, said: "The government should be addressing youth unemployment as one of its most urgent priorities, yet the response so far has been piecemeal. Youth unemployment is a complex issue. To tackle it, we must ensure that young people have the education and skills they need for the labour market, the incentives to get into work and the necessary knowledge of available opportunities.
"At present, the government's response is split across the Department of Education, BIS and DWP, with nobody responsibility for the big picture. If young people are to get the support they need, these areas must be joined up in a coherent approach.
"It is a particular concern that at present no agency tracks or has responsibility for young people making the onwards transition from school."
The report calls for the establishment of a Youth Employment Unit along the lines of the Cabinet Office's Cities Unit. The unit would engage with all relevant third sector bodies and representatives of local government and would be headed by a cross departmental minister with responsibility for youth employment at a national level.
The minister would coordinate responses across government and engage with representatives of business and charities.??The report also raises concerns about the number of young people falling outside the system of targeted support. While the Youth Contract is a positive step, much of the support is targeted at those claiming unemployment benefits, yet the report shows that nearly one in three unemployed young people are not claiming such benefits. More needs to be done to bring these young people into the system of support at an earlier stage.
Lee continued: "We want to see the government take this issue in hand. Much of the effort needs to be around long-term unemployed young people. Around 264,000 have now been out of work for over 12 months. Coordinated action is needed to ensure these young people are given the skills, opportunities and information to enter and progress in the labour market."
The report highlights the urgent need to bring more young people into the support system and argues that engagement and support of the third sector may be the most effective means of doing this. In addition, it recommends a range of measures for helping young people once they are in the system, including pre-apprenticeships and guaranteed part-time jobs after 12 months. It also recommends travel subsidies as a cost effective step to address what for many is a critical barrier to finding work.
The report is the first from The Work Foundation's Missing Million programme, a two year solutions-focused project aimed at increasing the employment prospects of young people in the UK.
