Minister hears first-hand from young people making Progress
"The support provided by programmes like Progress is now more important than ever"
Young people enrolled on employability programme, Progress, recently spoke to Baroness Stedman-Scott MP about how the programme has supported them.
The virtual meeting was arranged as part of Employability Day 2020 – led by the Employment Related Services Association (ERSA) – in recognition of the work that Progress is doing to support young people across Coventry and Warwickshire, with a particular focus on Covid-19 efforts.
The Baroness, who is the spokesperson for Department of Work and Pensions business in the House of Lords, asked young people about their experiences on the programme and thereby gained a valuable insight into how Progress is helping them.
Representatives from community charity, Groundwork UK, who lead the programme, and Progress delivery partners, Positive Youth Foundation, Numidia and Groundwork West Midlands also joined the meeting to talk about the positive impact that Progress has had on young people across the region.
To date, Progress has engaged with close to 900 young people to support them to kick-start a career, into training or back into education, as well as providing other support, such as life-skills, mental health support and opportunities to gain skills qualifications and volunteering placements.
Baroness Stedman-Scott said: “Hearing directly from young people supported to find training and employment opportunities through Progress was a great way to mark Employability Day, and I wish them every success in the future.
"By helping improve the job prospects of young people and tackling the wider barriers to employment, they are changing the lives of all those on the programme. This support will be crucial as we look to rebuild and renew our country while levelling up opportunities throughout the UK.”
Graham Duxbury, chief executive of Groundwork, said: “Young people have suffered a unique set of challenges as a result of Covid-19 – being least at risk in terms of the virus, but seeing one of the biggest impacts with their social lives paused, education disrupted and job prospects damaged with potentially serious consequences for their life chances and mental health.
"The support provided by programmes like Progress is now more important than ever. Our partners and Progress coaches have shown tremendous commitment and creativity to adapt their way of working and ensure young people continue benefiting from the reassurance, mentoring and positive role models they provide.”
Employment Related Servicce Association chief executive Elizabeth Taylor said: “Lockdown has affected young people tremendously hard. On the eve of the crisis, sectors that were closed because of social distancing measures employed nearly a third of all employees under the age of 25.
"With reduced vacancies and fierce competition for them, programmes like Progress will be especially important for new generations of young people following into the world of work. Employability Day is a great opportunity to increase public awareness about employment support and talk to influential policy makers like Baroness Stedman-Scott."
* Progress is a tailored programme of coaching and support to help NEET young people aged 15-24 across Coventry and Warwickshire (West Midlands) access training and employment opportunities. It is part of the ‘Building Better Opportunities’ initiative, funded by the European Social Fund and The National Lottery Community Fund.