Mayor delivers first package of support to help young people through Covid crisis

• Our Pass opens for new applications on Wednesday as part of two-year pilot
• Care leavers aged 18 -21 will have the same benefits as Our Pass holders - free bus travel and access to Our Pass exclusive offers
• Our Pass holders who are 18 to be given extra year’s access to free opportunities, rewarding those impacted by lockdown who would otherwise be losing their entitlement
• Mayor appeals to all GM businesses to make an offer to young people via Our Pass to help them through the crisis.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, has confirmed the first in a series of new measures for young people, as the city-region takes swift action to prevent a lost generation through Covid.

The Mayor, during an online event to hear the views of young people to help develop the Greater Manchester Young Person's Guarantee on Thursday evening (June 25), confirmed Our Pass applications will open again on the 1st July. School leavers will be able to start using the travel card from September as they commence the next step in their education and careers.

Young people who were part of the first year of Our Pass will also have their access to Our Pass exclusive offers extended for a year. As part of the refresh for September 2020, a new website will be launched. And, in a significant move to young people with the greatest challenges at this time, the Mayor has brought forward the offer of free travel and offers for Care Leavers aged 18-21.

Our Pass is a UK first. Designed by and made for young people, members gain access to two distinct offers at this important time in their life: free bus travel and reduced tram travel as well as exclusive offers and experiences. Those who are eligible to apply must live in Greater Manchester and have been born between 1 September 2001 and 31 August 2004.

Our Pass is a two-year pilot that first launched in September 2019. For a one-off £10 administration fee, Our Pass provides free travel on local buses across Greater Manchester. It also gives members half-price off peak one day and weekend travelcards on Metrolink. Membership also unlocks exclusive offers and experiences that range from retail discounts and event tickets to careers talks, tasters and workshops.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said: “It’s more important than ever to support young people. As a city-region we need everyone to get involved and I’m appealing today to all Greater Manchester businesses to make an offer to young people via Our Pass to help them through the crisis.

“Young people are at risk of being a lost generation if we don’t put in place the support they need now and as we recover from the coronavirus pandemic. That’s why I’ve asked Diane Modahl to chair the Young Person’s Task Force and develop our Young Person’s Guarantee.

Andy added: “We are committed to supporting all our young people to have the best start in life. As part of our Care Leavers Guarantee and Core Offer, from the start of September, Greater Manchester care leavers aged 18 -21 will have the same benefits as Our Pass holders - free bus travel and access to Our Pass exclusive offers.

“Our Pass will continue to play a vital role as we develop the city region’s Young Person Guarantee. Before lockdown we had 39,000 active users, who between them took advantage of a range of experience and made more than 7.4 million journeys across Greater Manchester. I’m delighted Our Pass will be refreshed and ready for even more members to use from this September.

“I am also announcing today that those young people who were part of the first year of Our Pass will also have their access to Our Pass exclusive offers extended for a year. We’ll be saying more about all of this and how people can access offers next month.”

Diane Modahl, Chair of the Greater Manchester Young Person’s Task Force, said: “I’ve been engaging with young people and listening to what they need which will inform the Young Person’s Guarantee that I’m developing. Many Greater Manchester businesses have stepped-up to the challenge and demonstrated their social values during this pandemic, to both employees and customers alike.

“Now we're calling on them to play their part in getting involved & making sure we don't have a lost generation of young people. The Our Pass team are actively seeking opportunities from all types of business no matter how big or small. We need to rally around our young people and show them we mean business.”

Our Pass lead Rose Marley said: “Our Pass is the only scheme of its kind in the UK, supporting young people at a crucial moment in their lives. The significant challenges young people already face have been amplified by the impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on their education, job prospects, health and home life.

“Our Pass is here to provide a beacon of hope. it will open up a world of experiences, connections and exclusives that they might not discover otherwise and despite the challenges we face at present, business and organisations are unfailing in their support of Our Pass so there will be a raft of new offers announced in September.”

Hania Sulaiman, Chair of Greater Manchester’s Youth Combined Authority, who co-hosted Thursday night’s young people listening event, added: “The Youth Combined Authority has been working with Andy, Rose and now Diane to give young people a say. Along with other youth groups across the region, we’ve provided input and feedback to develop Our Pass over the last year.

“I’m delighted that the Our Pass pilot scheme will continue, having seen first-hand the huge and real difference it has made! Greater Manchester continues to lead the way in showing what’s possible when young voices are heard and I’m excited to see the refreshed Our Pass offer this September, together with the Young Person’s Guarantee.”

Applications for this year’s membership (which starts on 1 September) open on 1 July. Full details about how to apply can be found on ourpass.co.uk (opens new page)

Article Published: 27/06/2020 09:59 AM