Young people will be put in touch with football clubs and theatre groups as part of Labour’s bid to get them back to work.
Liz Kendall, the Work and Pensions Secretary, will pledge today that “no young person is left behind” as she seeks to overturn the high rate of youth unemployment.
She wants job centre staff to visit sports and arts organisations to help more 18 to 24 year olds get into employment, education or training.
Ms Kendall will visit Liverpool Football Club Foundation at Anfield in advance of her conference speech.
“Too many young people have been written off by the Tories and denied the support they need to build a better life,” she said. “This isn’t good for them, or our country.
“This Labour government will make sure that no young person is left behind.
“Our Youth Guarantee will ensure every young person is earning or learning, giving them hope for a better future. Football club foundations do brilliant work to engage and inspire young people giving them the skills and confidence they need to succeed.
“We want to unleash the potential of sport and the arts to help deliver the Guarantee, working closely with Mayors and local areas.”
Almost 1million young people – more than one in eight – are not in education, employment or training, with more than 200,000 18 to 24 year olds now out of work due to long-term health problems.
In her speech, Ms Kendall will warn that failing to tackle this problem will harm young people’s life chances and future earnings, as well as adding to the nation’s spiralling benefits bill.
She will bring out a white paper later this year on getting people back into work.
Under Labour’s plans, local leaders will gain more powers to shape their local labour markets, which will enable more joined up working with organisations like football club foundations.
At the Liverpool Football Club Foundation, Ms Kendall will see how they are supporting young people into positive pathways.
This is one example of the work being delivered by over 100 professional football club community organisations, engaging over 500,000 people each year.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said: “In villages, towns and cities right across the UK, football clubs sit at the heart of their communities and make an enormous contribution to the lives of local people.
“Our Youth Guarantee programme will empower clubs to play an even greater role – providing new employment, training and apprenticeship opportunities to support more young people into work.
“From football to film production – this Government will support every young person to have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.”
