Thousands of young people in the Liverpool City Region are set to benefit from a groundbreaking £5m programme designed to help them into work or training. As one of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers nationally, the region will pioneer innovative ways to support young people aged 18–21 who are Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET).

The Trailblazer will see the city region test new ways of supporting young people into employment or training, by bringing together and enhancing existing programmes in partnership with local areas.

This injection of government funding will turbocharge the Mayor’s existing Young People’s Guarantee, which ensures that local young people who are NEET get a job, training or apprenticeship opportunity within six months.

Welcoming the announcement, Steve Rotheram, Mayor of the Liverpool City Region said:

“This Youth Guarantee Trailblazer could be a real game-changer for young people in our region. Too often, young people from the Liverpool City Region are stopped from reaching their full potential, not by a lack of talent but a lack of opportunity. This £5m funding will give us the tools to try new and innovative ways to help those who need it most, making sure every young person has the opportunity to get on in life.

“Our Young Person’s Guarantee has already made a huge difference, helping countless young people into jobs, training, and apprenticeships. This funding gives us the chance to go even further. By working with the government and our local partners, we’ll build on that success to open even more doors for young people across the city region. It’s another example of how devolution lets us deliver solutions that work for our communities, because no one knows them better than us.”

This new programme was announced by the Rt Hon Liz Kendall MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, alongside the publication of the Get Britain Working white paper, which sets out plans to tackle inactivity and get people back into the workplace.

The announcement also provided details of Trailblazer programmes focused on improving the support available to people who are economically inactive due to ill health.

Reacting to the launch of the Get Britain Working White Paper, the Mayor said:

“Devolution is already making a huge difference to people’s lives in the Liverpool City Region. We’ve helped thousands of people into work, created opportunities for young people through apprenticeships, and supported adults to gain the skills they need to thrive. This shows what can be achieved when decisions are made closer to the people they affect.

“That’s why I welcome the government’s plans to give Mayors more of the tools and resources we need to break down the barriers keeping people out of work. Whether it’s tackling skills gaps, improving childcare, or supporting people with health conditions, this is a chance to make a real difference.

“I look forward to working with the government to make these bold ambitions a reality for the people in our communities.”

Since the Mayor was first elected, he has helped to create more than 60,000 jobs and 30,000 apprenticeships for local people through initiatives such as the Young Person’s Guarantee, the Be More app and the transfer of £7m in unspent Apprenticeship Levy to smaller companies.

Councillor Marion Atkinson, Cabinet Member for Employment, Education and Skills, said:

“We know how vital it is that our young people are given the opportunity to make the most of their potential by gaining good quality training and jobs that enable them to go on and live fulfilling lives.  This new Trailblazer initiative will enable us to build on the work we’ve already been doing in the city region to support young people and deliver more of those opportunities right across all of our communities.”

The trailblazers form part of a £240m investment that will trial new ways of getting people back into work. The trailblazers will bring together and maximise existing support and provide the opportunity to test new engagement and employment support approaches. The trailblazers will collect robust evidence on how to tackle health related economic inactivity and support young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).