the young unemployed

lemonjelly

We're now up to a position where 1 in five (& that figure is growing) young people are out of work. Career prospects for the young look very bleak indeed.

Whilst many know/acknowledge/appreciate we're in a period of austerity, I cannot see how moves like this one:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/15359844 helps?

We will soon be in a situation where over 20% of young people will be out of work. Who will help them get into a sustainable career? Get off benefits & work for a living?

I'm not connexions biggest champion, but I can't help but feel that some of the action being taken is a False Economy.

Conrad

To be frank Lemon, I am pretty certain such Govt agencies do not deliver broadly satisfying value for money outcomes and the money is better saved / used elsewhere.

The Gov't are turning the tanker and we will find to many peoples surprise that we will quite quickly become a better balanced greater trading nation once more. Many imperatives have been addressed, it's just a matter of time now, and of course we cant trade effectively when many nations are struggling so it's always going to take a little time.

Personaly I have a very dim view of Government agencies, in the end it is real people who create jobs and business, not Government 'advisers'. Thje Government needs to do much much more to reduce regulation though, it's starting to aggravate many that this promise seems not to have been properly addressed thus far.
Only yesterday my business got a new form to fill in about my 'diversity policy', I mean, what a fantastic use of Tax money, what an utter waste of my time and another hinderance to making wealth and creating jobs. Nanny tapping me on the shoulder with a knowing smile and raised eyebrow wanting to know how many Indian dwarves I plan taking on.

Mallotum_X

Conrad wrote: »

The Gov't are turning the tanker and we will find to many peoples surprise that we will quite quickly become a better balanced greater trading nation once more.

Quite a bold statement, would love to hear your views on how.

Conrad wrote: »

Nanny tapping me on the shoulder with a knowing smile and raised eyebrow wanting to know how many Indian dwarves I plan taking on.

Go on, how many are you taking on?

Prudent

It is very bleak for young people in the area where I live. My dd left college at 19 last June and joined many of her friends looking for a job. She applied for anything and everything even if it was only 4 hours a week. Eventually she got a full time job - but its in London. She is making the best of the opportunity and loving London life. However as she has mild learning difficulties, she will never earn enough in London to rent or buy her own flat (current job a live in position). Here I could afford to buy her a flat, but with no job she can't pay the bills. One of her friends called into see me yesterday and despite having good practicals skills, qualifications and plenty of job experience he has been unemployed since March. He is 25. At that age I had a professional job and was getting on the housing ladder. Very sad.

MacMickster

Whilst the pension age should rise if we had full employment, if we are going to have to pay benefits to one or other of our elderly or young, then I would much rather pension off the elderly to create jobs for our young.

Surely it is vital that youngsters leaving full-time education are given employment and learn the work ethic, rather than getting used to claiming benefits and playing on their Xbox all day.

ukcarper

MacMickster wrote: »

Whilst the pension age should rise if we had full employment, if we are going to have to pay benefits to one or other of our elderly or young, then I would much rather pension off the elderly to create jobs for our young.

Surely it is vital that youngsters leaving full-time education are given employment and learn the work ethic, rather than getting used to claiming benefits and playing on their Xbox all day.

I think that that is a good point but as the basic pension is just over £100 a week and job seekers for the under 24s is just over half that I can’t see it happening.

Going4TheDream

MacMickster wrote: »

Whilst the pension age should rise if we had full employment, if we are going to have to pay benefits to one or other of our elderly or young, then I would much rather pension off the elderly to create jobs for our young.

Surely it is vital that youngsters leaving full-time education are given employment and learn the work ethic, rather than getting used to claiming benefits and playing on their Xbox all day.

I think given the current climate that this makes great economical, practical and social sense and something I have thought a lot recently. I cant understand the lack of joined up thinking in the proposals of doing the total opposite. Even if the costs do not equal out currently the social benefits would be worth it, then maybe in a few years when things pick up they can extend the age or retirement as necessary
Sometimes you need to take a holistic approach to things

lynzpower

I think it is tragic that there are so many cuts to connexions and other youth services. When I worked with connexions they ran a teenage pregnancy employment project for teenage mums, fathers project for single dads, supervised contact and direct work with excluded young people. Whats left for them? And what are the repercussions for their children ( whether born or in the future)

It is one of those things I think Labour should be proud of. It was not a disaster, it did great work with vulnerable people. It cant be replaced with some bod from a4e family project giving 1 day courses in parenting! ( thats obvioulsy profit making) God it makes my blood boil.

I almost wouldnt have minded so much if these savings were used to propel businesses to create jobs or such: but with business link and other support services vanishing what hope is there?

really really sad that this is happening as it ( like the removal of sure starts) is so short sighted and short termist.

/rant over

jamespir

i think more needs to be done to help young people into work instead of trying to make it harder for them
and young school leavers are getting such a bad name when its undesrved

michaels

And yet in every supermarket and bar you get served by young people from other countries either from Europe or students from further afield - why can they find jobs and yet British young people can not?

ILW

lynzpower wrote: »

I think it is tragic that there are so many cuts to connexions and other youth services. When I worked with connexions they ran a teenage pregnancy employment project for teenage mums, fathers project for single dads, supervised contact and direct work with excluded young people. Whats left for them? And what are the repercussions for their children ( whether born or in the future)

Surely it would be better to discourage them from becoming single mothers and fathers in the first place. Everybody wins that way.