07/07/2010 News! Trust supports call for action to support ‘unemployed young people'

Julie Whelan, Chief Executive of the DKH Legacy Trust today welcomes a call for more targeted support for ‘NEETs’ following the Audit Commission’s Report: 'Against the Odds - Re-engaging young people in education, employment or training’.



The report calls for local authorities to support young people who are struggling to find work or training and suggests that local councils collaborate with partners to meet the needs of 16 year olds in their local boroughs.

‘Against the Odds’ suggests councils should get to grips with the needs of their local teens and that there should be better targeted funding and more effective schemes to encourage youngsters into training or employment. The authors found that successful programmes have three common elements: 
 
• they target responses to local circumstances
• they support pre16s at risk of drifting away from school, training or employment
• they intervene after age 16 in a way tailored to meet individuals' needs

In partnership with local authorities, The Dame Kelly Holmes Legacy Trust runs a ‘Get On Track’ programme that already supports young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEETS).

The latest project is due to start in Southwark, London next week with 16 year olds who are just about to leave school, but who have no work or education opportunity to go to. 

‘Get On Track’ is delivered over three months and gives the young people involved the chance to develop the skills, abilities and self belief they need to compete for jobs, making them ‘fit for employment’. They are mentored through this process by world class sports performers who know how to overcome adversity and compete with the best in the world.

CEO of the DKH Legacy Trust, Julie Whelan, said:

“Our Get On Track programme shows that young people often need support to make the next step after leaving school. We are looking forward to working with the young people in Southwark and are positive that the programme will be of great benefit to them. We welcome findings announced today by the Audit Commission report ‘Against the Odds’ and hope that more local councils focus on encouraging their young people into employment or training as we are doing with Southwark Council."

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