The Isle of Wight Youth Trust is inviting local businesses to play a positive role in supporting young people into employment, following the Government’s latest review examining the reasons for the increase in the number of young people not currently in education, employment or training.
Recent national figures show that over 1million young people aged 16–24 (13.5%) are not in education, employment or training (NEET), the highest level seen since 2013.
On the Isle of Wight, the latest available data indicates there are 710 young people aged 18–24 in this position, pointing to an opportunity for local support and engagement.
For more than 2 years, the IW Youth Trust has been working with young Islanders, offering employability training, mentoring, mental health support and job-seeking guidance. This tailored, local approach is achieving strong results, with participants progressing into positive outcomes at rates above national averages.
Building on this success, the Trust is encouraging Island employers to get involved and help create meaningful opportunities for young people, while also strengthening the future local workforce.
Matt Hall, 16–25 Hub Lead, says:
“Young people here have real potential — they just need the chance to prove it. By working together with local businesses, we can open doors, build confidence and create lasting benefits for our community”
As part of its 5-year strategy, Healthy Minds, Thriving Futures, the Trust is inviting businesses of all sizes to contribute – whether through work placements, apprenticeships, mentoring or entry-level roles.
By partnering with the IW Youth Trust, employers can support the next generation, bring fresh talent into their organisations, and make a positive difference across the Island.
For more information or to get involved, contact Matt Hall on [email protected] or by calling 01983 529569.
The problem isn’t youth unemployment, the problem is job decimation caused by this government’s greed for income from employers
That is very true.
Also so many persons are working beyond retirement
age, taking jobs away from youngsters who need work.
Too many businesses are closing down due to a
Government who are attacking businesses with their
bad decisions.
Private sector businesses should be allowed to choose what they
wish to pay an employee, Governments should not get involved.
Some businesses can afford to pay more in wages, some cannot.
The Government should get their own house in order
too many public sector employees are on extortionate
wages, extortionate pensions, many are shirking from home
etc etc. Also the public sector are not affected by decisions
made by the Government unlike the private sector.
You don’t hear of badly run hospitals or councils
having to close down due to financial matters like
private sector businesses do.
The answer appears to be motivation. An area of Liverpool (poor, low employment etc) has bucked the trend of youth engagement by starting careers advice a lot earlier than 16…in another area (can’t remember where) as young as 12. Workshops, discussions, site visits, and pathways BEFORE course choices at 14.
If a kid is not doing particularly well at 13/14 the courses they are pushed onto will mean nothing to them and they’ll fail those too, leave at 16 and fulfil their potential as a perceived ‘failure’ and do nothing.
Give them tasters in the big world early and you’d see a massive difference in motivation.
Just import more workers
Great idea if the jobs were available.
A lot of job opportunities come from who you
know eg family or friends wangle their sprogs
into various jobs.
ALL jobs should be advertised fairly so
everyone has a fair chance.
Personally I would rather employ a person who
is qualified to do a job than employ a person
who is inferior for the job.
I would imagine companies would prefer to do the
same, but their management choose who they want
hence inferior persons.