One out of every eight young individuals face barriers to education and employment. This situation leaves nearly a million potential talents untapped, resulting in a significant loss for society.

Joe* was on the brink of joining this statistic. Aged 17, battling anxiety and on the verge of dropping out, he was guided by his local council to the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer program in South Bristol.

Through participating in an employability course and gaining work experience at Fixx Bikes, Joe’s self-assurance blossomed, leading him to reintegrate into the education system.

Joe’s journey exemplifies why the Youth Guarantee initiative is crucial. Over the past months, more than 200 youths in the West of England have benefited from personalized assistance to transform their prospects.

Recognizing the necessity for early intervention, we are introducing a reinforced ‘Risk of NEET Indicator’ (RONI) as part of an £820 million investment in the Youth Guarantee program. This system serves as an early detection mechanism to identify young individuals who may require support before facing long-term challenges.

Initiatives such as automatic enrollment in further education, the creation of nearly 300,000 new skill-building opportunities for Universal Credit beneficiaries, and the expansion of Youth Hubs to every local community – with more than 360 centers offering diverse services from CV guidance to mental health support – are being piloted to address this issue comprehensively.

Acknowledging that eradicating poverty is essential to combating the root causes of the problem, we are committed to fighting child poverty. Our recently launched Child Poverty Strategy outlines our aim to uplift over half a million children from poverty by 2030.

To achieve this, we plan to eliminate the two-child benefit cap, extend free school meal provisions, assist families with energy and childcare expenses, and discontinue the unlawful practice of housing families with children in B&Bs – actions long advocated for by readers of Mirror.

Coupled with our efforts to facilitate the return of children to classrooms, we are striving to provide every child, regardless of their upbringing, with a genuine opportunity to thrive. This endeavor is about recognizing young individuals as the future workforce and leaders who deserve a supportive nation. It embodies active national rejuvenation.