Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

Contents

Understanding Youth UnemploymentIntroduction to the Build-it modelHow the project actually workedOur LearningsShaping your project

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

Traditional notion of life development Parsons (1949)

•Stability•Dependence on parents

•Institutionalised education

Childhood0-16

•Uncertainty•Finding own way in life

•Rebellion

Adolescence16-21

•Conformity•Work•Supporting a family

Adulthood21+

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

Current Research Considerations

My Research

Currently undertaking a mixed methods research project on an inner city estate in Lambeth

Preliminary Findings:

The term ‘young person’ is owned by people well into their late 20s

Many young people leave school early and/or with few relevant qualifications

The local authority do not recognise them as living in their parents home once they turn 21

Work and training options available lock young people into low paid work

Young people have mixed ambitions of wanting to earn money but not through the jobs that are available

Parents are not able to support young people through education past the age of 18 or with housing past the age of 21

People working with them are often low skilled

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Response

Emerging life development journeys for young people

Track 1

Track 2

•Stability•Dependence on parents

•Institutionalised education

Childhood

0-18

•Uncertainty•Finding own way in life

•Rebellion•More time spend in education

Youth18-30

•Conformity•Work•Supporting a family

Adulthood

30+

Childhood 0-13

Greater freedom/reliance on selfEducation less structuredEarly exposure to crimeRegular associations with the youth category

Youth 14-30 Greater forced independenceLess guidance and support from family Education curtailedPressured into finding a jobFinding ways to make ends meetHaving children

Adulthood 30+Yet to be studied?

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Response

Current Research Considerations

The term ‘young person’ is owned by people well into their late 20s

Many young people leave school early and/or with few relevant qualifications

Work and training options available lock young people into low paid work

Young people have mixed ambitions of wanting to earn money but not through the jobs that are available

Parents are not able to support young people through education past the age of 18 or with housing past the age of 21

People working with young people often have limited capital

Young people need support making links with employers and those outside their peer group

Overview

Funded by Big Lottery and delivered by London Youth and Cospa.

Enables young people (16-25) and professional trade mentors to work together to help repair and refurbish social housing in Lambeth.

Will engage 1,500 young people and 400 mentors in Lambeth over the next two years.

A successful pilot triggered two years funding from Big Lottery, as featured as part of Secret Millions on Channel 4…

We are working with local contractors to provide employment and move on opportunities to the young people on the Build-it project

Young People details

The young people are generally NEET before joining the programme, however some have previously been to college

We have targets of 1000 young people to get a qualification and 500 to get a sustained outcome (work, apprenticeship or college)

The young people will be supported throughout their time on the course by youth workers and older trades mentors

Older People details

Skilled trained older people Older people from the local area Mainly retired or semi retired older people

Progression Routes

Work experience and work trials with the main social housing contractors

Work trials aimed at leading to apprenticeships or at least 26 week paid opportunities for 2/3 of work trial or work experience placements

Build-it staff identify other work opportunities and support with applications and interview preparations

Working with the recruitment and Employment Consortium to get all participants signed up with construction recruitment agencies

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

The Idea

Young people and older people recruited from their local area Older semi retired trades people teach young people a practical trade in

their spare time Both groups of people have a greater respect and understanding for each

other Issues between older and young people in the local area subside

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

Problems

Group dynamics Older skilled tradesmen time poor Work we were asked to do required specialist skills Older people who were available didn’t always have the skills

the project needed

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Intergenerational Response

Our adaptations

Fewer young people from the immediate local area Paying older mentors with specialist skills Promote the project as job training to attract older people Secured secondments from local companies for some older

participants roles Being more creative with older people’s roles Work with local tenants associations to foster their support

Case Study

Hazel

Lived on the same estate over 40 years

Treasurer of the local TRA Has run play and youth groups

on the estate Is are retired social worker and

keen to help Offered to be the cook for the

site on her estate

Youth Unemployment – London Youth Response Our findings

There are fewer support services around for young people so the project had to adapt to deal with more complex issues

Older people can relate to younger people’s experiences Older and younger people have difficulty breaking down imagined

barriersYounger people have very few informal relationships with older

people outside their immediate family Some older people need as much support as younger people Younger people appreciate the support from older peopleThrough professionalising the older people’s role – the dynamics

changed

Your Projects

In groups think about a project that you want to deliver and answer the following:

1. What do you want to achieve from your project?2. What resources will you need?3. What benefit will an intergenerational element bring

to the people involved?

Your Projects

Now think about the following:

1. Describe one or two young people who will be taking part in the project

2. What needs would you like the older people to fulfill in their life

3. What characteristics will you need in the older people involved in the project

4. Where will you recruit the older people from