Government appoints youth panel on education and jobs access

The government has formed a panel of young people with experience of being out of education, employment and training to advise ministers on improving support for others in the same position.

The Youth Guarantee Advisory Panel, comprising 17 members aged 18 to 24, will meet regularly to discuss barriers to work and education and suggest ways to address them. The group was launched during Youth Employment Week as part of the government’s Youth Guarantee, which aims to ensure all 18-to-21-year-olds in England are in education, employment or training.

The initiative comes as government data shows that one in eight young people are not in education, employment or training.

The panel was recruited with the help of the Youth Futures Foundation and Youth Employment UK, which are supporting the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department for Education in running the sessions.

Early discussions have highlighted challenges including mental health issues, a lack of career advice beyond university options, poor public transport and limited access to digital devices.

Ministers said work had already begun to tackle these problems, citing reforms to the apprenticeship system, mental health support in schools and colleges, and a cap on bus fares in England outside London.

The government has also launched eight Youth Guarantee “trailblazers” to test targeted support locally, backed by £45m.

Work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, said: “Young people know better than anyone the challenges they face – and the support they need to succeed. That’s why their voices will shape how we will deliver a Youth Guarantee that truly works, opening up real opportunities for every 18-to-21-year-old to be in work, training or education.

“Backed by our £45m investment in targeted youth employment support, this is about unlocking potential, tackling inequality and transforming lives.”

Education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, added: “For too long, young people have been talked down to and had their opinions dismissed. The Youth Advisory Panel’s contributions so far have been incredibly insightful, and we are already starting to implement some of their suggestions.

“We have started to reform the apprenticeship system, reprioritising funding to young people, cutting red tape to make it easier to start or complete an apprenticeship and introducing foundation apprenticeships to give young people a route into careers in critical sectors.”