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Andrew Palmer
Group Editor
5:23 AM 29th September 2020
business

Two Fifths Of Young People From Yorkshire And The Humber Believe Future Goals Now “Impossible” Due To Pandemic, Warns Prince’s Trust

 
As The Prince’s Trust marks the support of one million young people, it calls on government, charities and employers to act now to prevent a “lost generation”

The report, which surveyed 2,000 16 to 25-year olds across the UK, shows that according to respondents from Yorkshire and the Humber, more than half (55 per cent) of young people are ‘scared’ about being unemployed, and that 45 per cent are worried that they will never be able to get a job[1].
Humera Majid – Get Started in Health and Social Care – Leeds
Humera Majid, 22, from Leeds, was struggling with an unstable job before finding The Prince’s Trust.

Humera left school aged 16 to become a carer for her grandma, which was a big responsibility to take on at a young age.

“When she passed, it hit me that I wanted to work in care, because there are so many other people’s grandmas who don’t have anyone there for them.”
However, the job Humera found, where she provided live-in care for patients with Dementia and Parkinson’s, came with several pitfalls.

“My job was very unstable. I thought my placements were going to be in Leeds, but it turned out they were all across the UK – I had to travel to Scotland once. I would get stranded waiting to be accepted for placements, so there were periods where I wasn’t getting any pay.

“The pandemic added difficulties to this; I didn’t want to travel constantly to different destinations on public transport because I live with a vulnerable family member.”

Humera was referred to The Prince’s Trust’s Get Started in Health and Social Care programme by the Jobcentre and took part in the remote course in July.

“It was my confidence level that improved the most from the course, The Prince’s Trust made me feel so comfortable. We did lots of interview preparation too and I got helpful feedback from my mock interviews.

“The staff did an amazing job of always keeping the course exciting, it never got boring. I also appreciate that they stay in contact with us for 6 months after the course, it’s good to have extra support from someone who knows you.”

Humera finished the course with a successful job interview with Maria Mallaband, a Care Home company, and is starting there as a Healthcare Assistant soon.
“It’s going to be a huge change for me going from unstable employment to this. I couldn’t find that by myself no matter how hard I tried, I wouldn’t have got here without The Prince’s Trust, so I’m really grateful for their support.

“I’m excited to seize this new opportunity. If you’re unemployed and want to get into the Health and Care Sector, don’t ever give up – there have been times where I’ve wanted to, but if you do a Prince’s Trust course you’ll learn a lot and gain confidence.”


Research from The Prince’s Trust warns of a generation of young people in Yorkshire and the Humber losing hope as their aspirations fall and fears of future unemployment loom.

According to the report, two fifths (42 per cent) of young people surveyed in Yorkshire and the Humber say their future goals now seem ‘impossible to achieve’ and 36 per cent go as far as to say that they feel they will ‘never succeed in life’.

When young people were asked to think about their plans for the future in terms of education, employment and training, two fifths (41 per cent) of respondents in Yorkshire and the Humber say they have abandoned their aspirations for the year ahead, and 49 per cent say their aspirations for the future are lower as a result of the pandemic.

The pandemic... has eroded their confidence in their future prospects, to a point where some feel they won’t ever be able to succeed in life...


The research also suggests that surveyed young people who are not in education, employment or training are even more likely to have abandoned their ambitions for the year ahead[2].

Clare Crabb, North Regional Director at The Prince’s Trust, says: “Today’s findings show that the pandemic has done more than disrupt vital education, training and job opportunities for young people across Leeds and Yorkshire and the Humber; it has eroded their confidence in their future prospects, to a point where some feel they won’t ever be able to succeed in life.

“It is truly a responsibility for all of us to ensure the odds don’t stay stacked against this generation, by supporting them to upskill, retrain and access job opportunities. Or else we risk losing their ambition and potential to long-term unemployment, to the detriment of their futures and the recovery of our economy. Government, employers and charities must work together and act now to prevent a lost generation.”

Today’s report comes as The Prince’s Trust marks supporting its millionth young person since it was founded by HRH The Prince of Wales in 1976. The charity now looks to help the next million at a time when the deepening jobs crisis is hitting young people the hardest, and when 37 per cent of surveyed young people in Yorkshire and the Humber say they have ‘lost hope for the future’.

The Prince’s Trust helped more than 70,000 young people last year to build the confidence and skills they need to realise their potential. The employability and enterprise courses offered by The Trust, which are run both in person and online, give young people the practical and financial support needed to stabilise their lives, helping them to develop self-esteem and skills for work.

Three in four young people on Prince’s Trust programmes move into work, education or training.

As part of its response to the coronavirus crisis, The Trust has launched a ‘Get Hired Jobs Board’ to match employers with young people who are ready to work now, and has established a ‘Coronavirus Support Hub’ to provide guidance and resources for young people in the challenging times ahead.

The Trust has helped one million young people in the UK since HRH The Prince of Wales founded the charity in 1976.
Jennifer Shaw
Jennifer Shaw
Jennifer Shaw Case Study – Leeds –
Get Into Health and Social Care


Jennifer Shaw, 26, from Leeds, faces multiple challenges when it comes to getting into work.

“I’ve not worked for 8 years which looks bad on my CV, and childcare is an issue as I have two children, one with autism and one with severe allergies. I once almost started a job but then my childcare fell through.
“You can feel trapped just talking to children all day and you lose insight into talking to adults.”

Despite these obstacles, Jennifer is determined to find employment.

“I need to provide for my family. My children will always come first, but I’m an adult, and I want to participate in and give back to society.”

Coronavirus and lockdown has brought additional issues for Jennifer, as with her children at home all day, she worries about finding childcare if she secured a job. However, The Prince’s Trust helped her feel more confident about her rights as working mother.
Jennifer joined The Prince’s Trust’s online Get Into Health and Social Care course in July. She decided she wanted to go into end of life care when her Grandparents passed away in quick succession of each other.

“I saw first-hand the care that assistants gave to them, and realised I’d love to give that help and comfort to someone else towards the end of their life.

“During The Prince’s Trust course, we covered the basic skills of what you’d need to be a health and social care assistant, and worked on CV writing. It was very accessible; they were patient and helped me work around times when my children needed looking after.”
Jennifer now has a Prince’s Trust mentor who will continue to support her journey into finding employment.

“It’s great getting someone that stays with you, who can brush away your worries, build your confidence, and help you learn something new.

“For other young people - especially young parents – who are struggling at the moment, definitely go to a charity like The Prince’s Trust and give their courses a try. Even if it’s short, it will make you proud that you’ve done it for yourself, and you’re helping set yourself up for life.”





Footnotes

(1) Percentages are based on the combined responses of respondents who strongly and somewhat agree with the relevant statements.

(2) Across the UK, 39 per cent of young people say they had abandoned their ambitions for the year ahead and this increases to 44 per cent among young people surveyed who are not in education, employment or training. Of the 2,000 16 to 25 year-olds surveyed, 247 were not in education, employment or training (NEET).