Commitments

How can my organisation support the Young Person’s Guarantee?

Greater Manchester’s Youth Task Force is inviting organisations to make commitments to young people.

This call for action is part of a piece of work being carried out to develop and deliver a Guarantee for young people in our city-region who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and really help those aged 11 to 30 feel positive for their future.

We know many organisations and groups across our ten boroughs already work hard to support and help young people so we are inviting you to get in touch to make a ‘commitment’ as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee to help us further raise awareness about opportunities on offer for young people.

We would like to encourage organisations to offer one or more commitment, for young people (aged 11-30), linking to what young people have told us during our consultation stages of this piece of work.

To develop the Guarantee, the Youth Task Force, which includes 24 young people in the form of the Youth Advisory Group, will focus on four key themes so your commitment(s) must be linked to at least one of these.

The themes are outlined below with some example commitments:

Keeping Connected 

Young people have said the Guarantee should:

• Secure better internet access to digitally excluded young people and to ensure that young people who are digitally excluded or need more support to have access to support and/or physical resources
• For public transport to be accessible, safe and secure so they can access more opportunities across Greater Manchester and to have more options for greener travel 

Possible commitments:

• Giving digital kit through an existing scheme (GM Technology Fund, Prince’s Trust)
• Support for ESOL young people to access different digital resources
• Programmes to make travel more accessible to young people
• A programme to support young people to access bikes and/or participate in a bike maintenance or safety scheme

Staying Well 

Young people have said the Guarantee should:

• Improve information for and access to support for their mental health
• Improve information and access to opportunities to volunteer and carry out social action within their communities

 Possible commitments:

• Programme to support young people who are not in education access support with their mental health
• Volunteering opportunities for young people in their community
• Sports or culture programme to help young people develop essential skills
• Support package in an educational institution to help young people feel safe and secure when returning/going to places of education

Making Effective Transitions 

Young people have said the Guarantee should:

• Increase the opportunity for young people to re-skill/re-train if they have been made redundant due to COVID-19 or are further away from the job market
• Increase opportunities for young people to have an experience of the workplace especially ones/employees that represent the diversity of young people and their communities
• Increase access to careers advice and information and support to develop skills ie. financial literacy so they feel ready for life
• Improve access to support and information for young people who are interested in entrepreneurship or self-employment

 Possible commitments:

• Offering virtual workplace experience to 11-19yr olds through the Meet Your Future campaign
• Mentoring programme to support NEET young people to develop entrepreneurial skills and set up their own business
• Financial literacy programmes that can be delivered in different educational and community settings

Removing Economic Inequalities 

Young people have said the Guarantee should:

• More disadvantaged young people are benefiting from the availability of paid employment opportunities and apprenticeships
• Increase the level of support given to unemployed young people to help to find a suitable job or an apprenticeship
• Ensure the access given to new employment opportunities and/or employability schemes is inclusive and equitable

Possible commitments:

• Offering a young person(s) a paid internship
• Supporting, becoming a member of or advocating for the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter
• Utilising the Apprenticeship Levy matchmaking service
• Offering an employability scheme to unemployed young people which will then lead to sustained employment

Commitments

Your commitment can include or consist of a current or emerging offer or opportunity that contributes to the outcomes that young people have told us under the four themes. It can be similar to or completely different to the suggestions above and we would like you to commit something that is tangible and will have an impact on young people.

Your commitment can be provided at a local or sub-regional level, work with small or large numbers of young people, be targeted at specific groups of young people and be delivered over a short or long period of time.

Submitting a commitment to us

Please submit your commitment using the online form and a member of the team will be in touch. You can also email gmacsenquiries@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk if you have any questions about the commitment process or the work of the Task Force.

There is no deadline for submitting commitments as we will be continually promoting commitments to ensure that the Guarantee is live for young people, ensuring they have options to participate in different opportunities at different times.

We will be sharing approved commitments as part of the Young Person’s Guarantee – this will include some being added to our website and social channels to raise awareness and increase engagement and take up with young people and other organisations.

We will also support you to use the Guarantee as a mechanism to promote your commitment and help you to further develop your commitment, where needed.

Current commitments include:

• UA92
• The Prince's Trust
• Greater Manchester Higher
• Equal Education Chances
• The Lowry
• Foundation 92
• One Million Mentors
• ENGIE
• Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce
• Youth Employment UK
• UpRising
• Positive Steps
• Career Connect
• Oxford Professional Education Group

Article Published: 16/09/2020 09:56 AM