UK must support the one million young people facing unemployment through National Youth Corps

Over 60 Parliamentarians from across parties are calling on the UK Government to support a major programme of training and employment for young people, given youth unemployment is set to reach over a million by the beginning of next year as the furloughing scheme unwinds and global recession intensifies.

The parliamentarians want the UK Prime Minister, Chancellor and others to create a major jobs programme from Britain’s young people - a National Youth Corps (NYC). Their proposal has been developed with Will Hutton, political economist and writer, with input from a range of organisations including a number of charities working with young people. You can read more about this proposal in an open letter here. 

Rushanara Ali MP said: 

“The Government must act quickly to ensure young people are central to any jobs and recovery plan. Mass unemployment has a long-term impact, not only on the productivity of the economy as a whole, but also on the life chances and mental wellbeing of young men and women, and it is those in disadvantaged areas which are likely to suffer the most. The last economic crisis left behind a lost generation with stunted life chances, this must not happen again." 

Earlier this month Rushanara was interviewed on BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London. She was also questioned about the scheme on BBC Newsnight which you can find below.  

Will Hutton said:

“We need a big cut-through concept that young people and employers can get behind that brings together, integrates and scales up a national intervention to head off a youth unemployment crisis. Inspired by Roosevelt’s New Deal Civil Conservation Corps, the National Youth Corps is the right idea at the right time. It will offer 16-25 years olds a job, training and a wage on the scale that is needed – and by being largely run by young people, give them ownership in building our national recovery”