Stats show cost of living is barrier to achieving employment goals for 75% of young people in the East
Nationally, a third of young people don't feel confident that they will achieve their employment goals
New research shows nearly a third (32%) of young people don't feel confident that they will achieve their employment goals.
The data comes from youth homelessness charity Centerpoint, which surveyed 1000 young people aged between 16 and 25.
It says it's concerned this low confidence could be driven by a skills gap, with just two thirds (66%) of those surveyed believing they have the right skills for the kind of jobs they want.
What are the stats for the East of England?
79% of young people say a lack of work experience is stopping them from getting the jobs they want.
For 75% of young people across the region, the cost of living remains a barrier to them achieving their employment goals.
71% also said they feel they can’t reach employment due to the availability of local jobs.
"They clearly don’t feel confident that they have the skills or support to achieve their full potential"
Latest official figures show 570,000 young people aged 16-24 were unemployed between February and April this year – a 15.6% per cent increase on the same period last year. These are also the highest unemployment figures for young people recorded since December-February 2021.
As a result, Centrepoint is urging the next government to ensure young people receive more support and opportunities to get into work, with additional help for those with experience of homelessness.
Alicia Walker, Head of Policy, Research and Campaigns at Centrepoint said: “Despite young people wanting to work in sectors like business and health and social care – sectors that have seen skills gaps double in the last few years – our research shows that they clearly don’t feel confident that they have the skills or support to achieve their full potential.
“Even more concerning though are the barriers and prejudices young people with experiences of homelessness face. For example, we’ve heard from young people who have been served an especially raw deal and discriminated against due to the fact they are homeless.
"This is worsened by the fact that young people in supported accommodation are often forced to turn down a job or more hours because doing so would make them financially worse off.
“We can’t continue to let young people down like this. We need the next government to shift the dial on how we support them into sustained employment.
"Making work pay across the board is one of the most important and impactful steps it could take, particularly for young people with experiences of homelessness.”
The charity is also urging the next government to extend the National Minimum or Living Wage to apprentices of all ages after their first year to reflect increased skills and experience gained.