Aged 18-21? Fancy employment support and a free pizza lunch? Then the Liverpool Youth Trailblazer has you covered!
Young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) are invited to the next Liverpool Youth Trailblazer (LYT) drop-in event on Thursday 30 April.
To be held at PINS Social Club, Duke Street, from 11.30am-2pm, the event is a great opportunity for young people, as well as their parents or carers, to learn about employment support options and career opportunities alongside ten-pin bowling and a tasty pizza lunch.
Since the start of the LYT last September, over 450 young trailblazers have been supported to build skills and confidence, moving into further training or long-term employment – and the team is set for more success now that the government has green lit the project’s second phase.
The Liverpool City Region is one of only eight areas nationally to have been designated as a Youth Guarantee Trailblazer area, and just under £5m has been given to the region to devise and test innovative ideas to support young people into meaningful employment.
Liverpool’s team has been working with a whole host of partners, including 250 employers, to bring young people who have faced barriers to entering employment into – or closer to – the workplace.
There is a whole variety of support being offered by partners including pre-employment mentoring (Catch 22, Merseyside Youth Association, and The Big Trust), sports and creative programmes to motivate and engage (Be Free Campaign, Sound City Liverpool, Merseyside Youth Association, Kings Trust), and in-work support for trailblazers with additional needs has been provided by Blackburne House.
For employers interested in learning more about how they can support young people into work and retain them No Place Productions has been running hands-on training.
The event on 30 April is free to attend, however to manage numbers anyone who would like to come along is asked to register via Eventbrite.
Joanne Kennedy, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Employment, Educational Attainment and Skills, said: “The success that the council’s Youth Trailblazer team has had in just six months is truly impressive. The fact that we have been able to engage with over 450 young people and move them into or closer to employment is a fantastic achievement, making not only a massive difference to the young person and their family but also to the wider city.
“And there’s more to come! This success has led to the second phase of the Liverpool Youth Trailblazer receiving the greenlight and we’re excited to work with even more young people. None of this success would have happened without our partners and employers whose commitment to supporting our young people has been second to none.
“The event on 30 April at PINS Social Club is a great opportunity to meet the team, partners and employers and find out how they can help you. Also, if there is a young person in your life who is not in education, employment of training and needs advice or support please let them know – and don’t forget to mention the pizza!”
Young people who are unable to attend the event but would like to find out more about LYT support can complete the form on the council’s website.
The team also always wants to hear from organisations and employers who can offer employment opportunities to young people – drop them a line at youthtrailblazer@liverpool.gov.uk
Keep up to date with all LYT activity on the programme’s LinkedIn page.
