CHRIS Vince MP has welcomed extra investment from the Government to give employers hiring incentives to take on young people.

This comes as Chris Vince MP convenes key local and regional partners in Harlow to tackle youth unemployment and establish a local NEET Taskforce to reduce the number of young people not in education, training, or work in Harlow.

Nationally, the number of young people classified as NEET (not in employment, education, or training) has been rising for four years.

Together with leaders from local colleges, local schools, local employers, and key representatives, Chris Vince MP will urge greater local coordination to combat youth inactivity. Local leaders discussed how new pathways could be opened up for young people in Harlow.

The group will now discuss the Government’s Youth Guarantee, which has recently received an extra £1 billion in funding, bringing the total for the scheme to £2.5 billion. This will help pay for a £3,000 hiring incentive for 18-24-year-olds out of work for six months and an apprenticeship incentive of £2,000 for a young person taken on by an SME. It will also pay for the expansion of the Jobs Guarantee to 18-24-year-olds who are long-term unemployed.

Chris Vince MP said:

“When our young people succeed, Harlow succeeds. I refuse to write off a generation of young people in Harlow to a life on benefits. It’s an injustice for them and harms our local economy. Harlow is full of talent, and this is a talent that I see every time I visit schools or colleges in our area.  The arrival of the UK Health Security Agency, new businesses coming to our town, and more apprenticeships on offer – this decade will be an exciting time to be young in Harlow. My job is to make sure all these new doors are open to everyone across the town and constituency. With me, young people have an MP who is on their side and will deliver them opportunities.

“This is a crisis of opportunity that demands action. Young people here deserve our support and deserve the chance to learn or earn.

“The Youth Guarantee means that more young people will be able to access training or an apprenticeship. I’m really pleased the Government has pledged more money to invest in helping young people.”

Partners will discuss expanding work placements, improving careers advice, and strengthening links between employers and colleges, and ensuring that young people furthest from the labour market receive tailored support.