Tag: Sandy Begbie

£70 million investment in youth employment

Young people looking to enter the workforce are to benefit from £70 million of investment from the Scottish Government.

The Young Person’s Guarantee aims to protect people from the economic impact of COVID-19 by offering every 16-24 year old in Scotland the opportunity of a job, apprenticeship, further or higher education, training programme or volunteering.

The announcement meets four of the commitments for the first 100 days of this government, and comes as a new report highlights the progress of the Young Person’s Guarantee.

Since it was officially launched in November 2020 funding has been committed to create up to 18,000 training, job and apprenticeship opportunities for young people.

The £70 million of investment includes:

  • £45 million for local partnerships to provide training, employer recruitment incentives, and mental health interventions for young people
  • £13.5 million for Colleges, Universities and the Scottish Funding Council to provide industry-focussed courses supporting up to 5,000 young people and employment support for 500 recent graduates
  • £10 million for the roll-out of new school coordinators and enhanced school provision to support young people access education, work and training
  • £1.5 million to increase places on volunteering and third sector programmes

During a visit to Young Movers, a youth charity based in Glasgow, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We know that young people have been badly affected by the pandemic and we are determined to do everything we can to support them.

“The Young Person’s Guarantee is a vital part of that support which aims to give all young people the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of COVID-19.

“This investment of £70 million, which meets four of our 100 days commitments, will also ensure employers continue to benefit from the fresh talent and new perspectives that young people bring to workplaces across Scotland.”

Sandy Begbie, Chair of the Young Person’s Guarantee Implementation Group, said: “Inclusion was at the core of the Young Person’s Guarantee so I am particularly pleased by the increased opportunities created for young people who are furthest from the workplace. 

“None of this could have been achieved without employers being engaged and I am delighted we have almost 100 employers and business groups signed up supporting the scheme.

“Our young people, who have been disproportionately impacted as a result of the pandemic, are an asset to Scotland and it has never been more important that we deliver against the Young Person’s Guarantee.”

Delivering the Youth Guarantee

Giving every young person the chance to succeed

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has set out more details of how Scotland’s Youth Guarantee will give young people the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The guarantee will ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training. The Scottish Government is funding it with £60 million which will be broken down as follows:

  • £30 million through local authorities to help local partnerships to deliver employability support for young people
  • £10 million to create additional opportunities in colleges
  • £10 million additional funding for Developing the Young Workforce, the Scottish Government’s internationally recognised Youth Employment Strategy
  • £10 million to support pathways to apprenticeships

Sandy Begbie, who led the Developing the Young Workforce Group that played a pivotal role in the delivery of the Edinburgh Guarantee to young people, was asked to write an implementation plan which has been published yesterday.

The report’s recommendations include:

  • early work to identify youth employment opportunities with employers in some of the least-impacted sectors, including financial services, utilities and life sciences
  • working to introduce an incentive model where government pays 50% of wages for young people who need the most help
  • a call for the public sector to create more opportunities for young people
  • a call for businesses who would not normally have taken an apprentice full-time to consider sharing an apprentice with other employers
  • providing support to encourage SMEs to take on a young person if they are able to do so

Ms Hyslop said: “I would like to thank Sandy Begbie for the significant work he has put into developing this proposal in such a short period of time. He has engaged widely and set out ambitious recommendations for which I am grateful, and I look forward to working with him to implement them.

“The guarantee will be crucial to improving the opportunities of young people in light of the pandemic, and I was delighted to be able to speak to some of them earlier today about how the Edinburgh Guarantee has benefitted them.

“The scale of this task will be significant, and that is why we have set ourselves the challenge of this ambitious guarantee. I would urge all employers who are able, to work with us to create more opportunities that recognise the valuable contribution our young people have to make in growing our economy.

“Progress will only be possible through collaboration and a collective determination to succeed. I am pleased that the Scottish Government has become one of the early adopters of the Youth Guarantee.

“My message to Scotland’s young people is simple: we are right behind you, we want you to be successful and we will do everything we can to give you the opportunities you need.”

Mr Begbie said: “While very ambitious, in many ways this guarantee is quite simple. It is an unconditional commitment to all our 16-24 year olds, whose lives and prospects could be irreparably damaged by COVID-19.

“It is a guarantee of education, an apprenticeship, training, employment, volunteering or supported activity.  Keeping young people connected in a way they feel valued and productive is at the heart of this guarantee.

“To deliver this we need a call to action across the private, public, third and education sectors with everyone doing all they can to create opportunities for our young people.  

“The guarantee, if delivered effectively, will also go a long way to help address the inequalities we know exist, and every young person regardless of background will have the same opportunity.”

Young Person Guarantee. No-one left behind: initial report.