Yesterday, the Prime Minister pledged to build a ‘stronger fairer Britain’, backing young people with real opportunities to work.
Responding to his speech, Susannah Hardyman MBE, CEO of Impetus, said:
"We welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to ensuring every young person can go as far as their effort and talents take them. The gap between young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and their better off peers has been accepted as inevitable for too long.
“These young people have worse outcomes at every stage of the journey from school into working life - outcomes which are not only damaging in and of themselves but also detrimental to the government's growth agenda. Our analysis shows that the surge in NEET rates post-pandemic is currently costing the UK £21bn a year in lost GDP.
“The Government must be prepared to tackle this issue from its roots in classrooms to the crisis point at the job centre, with a practical, joined-up strategy using evidence-backed interventions that address the specific obstacles young people from disadvantaged backgrounds face.
“Having spent over two decades working alongside organisations at the coalface, we know what can be achieved with the right approach, and we look forward to continuing work with the Government to ensure it delivers real change for young people.”
Susannah Hardyman MBE, CEO, Impetus
