Young People And Full Potential
The Private Equity Foundation's (PEF) mission is to support young people who have been left behind and are not in education, employment or training (NEET). To tackle this stubborn social issue, PEF works to support these young people as well as to prevent young people becoming NEET in the first place.
Currently there are around 900,000 16-24 year olds in England in this category (15% of the cohort) [1]. This is not just an issue for the UK – in the EU around 400,000 or 18% of 15-24 year olds have been unemployed for between 2-4 years [2].
Unemployed by age [3]
Behind these worrying statistics are young people being seriously affected, often for a huge range of reasons. Many of our young people have had a poor start in life, perhaps facing the serious disadvantages of living in a deprived community. Many will also have poor literacy and numeracy skills, whilst some may suffer from a drug addiction.
The reasons are complex but what is clear is that most are the victims of inter-generational disadvantage, and unless we act, the downward cycle will continue.
Tackling a complex social problem like the NEET issue requires a range of interventions at a variety of stages – PEF is working to create this co-ordinated response. PEF’s portfolio of charities work to encourage young people to get back on track and give them the high hopes and aspirations that they deserve.
Alongside the tragic human costs, the economic costs are huge – support must be given to these young people before it’s too late. PEF's charities have created interventions that have impact, allowing young people to access the support they need to learn basic employability skills as well as the intensive support that will help them broaden their horizons so they reach their full potential.
