The Youth Employability Conference 2024

The Youth Employment Index found that barriers to employment and education, as well as existing inequalities for minority young people, were left exacerbated by the pandemic. Many young NEET people have been left disengaged with the system and lack the support and guidance needed to enter the workforce.

The Index also demonstrated the strong link between tackling youth unemployment and improving GDP long-term, illustrating that there is a strong business and moral case for reducing rates of youth unemployment. Councils, schools and the voluntary sector are working together to deliver multi-agency services and programmes for young people, but there is still more work to be done. Through sharing best practice strategies and resources, local services can collaborate to give young people the support they deserve.

• The UK’s NEET rate for 20- to 24-year-olds is currently 14%
• The youth NEET rate varies widely across regions in the UK, with the North East region seeing the highest NEET rate of 13.7%, and Scotland experiencing the lowest NEET rate of 5.7% in the same period
• Over the pandemic, White people aged 18-25 saw the highest employment rate out of all ethnic groups at 68.5%

(Youth Employment Index 2022)

Join us at the Youth Employability Conference 2024 to hear the latest guidance and practical initiatives for reducing rates of youth unemployment and supporting young NEET people. You will hear successful case studies showcasing a breadth of key topics, including identifying and filling local skills gaps, preparing students for careers and providing targeted support to ethnic minority young people. You will also have the opportunity to network with senior colleagues from across the public sector to share and address common challenges engaging with young people.

Why Attend:

✓ High-level keynotes from leading experts on tackling youth unemployment
✓ Hand-picked case studies showcasing a range of programmes and techniques for engaging with and preparing young people for the workforce
✓ Network with speakers and senior colleagues from across the public sector
✓ CPD (gain 4 hours of CPD points towards your yearly quota)

This is a live event taking place online:
✓ Access a full live event with 4 hours of CPD points from home
✓ Network and connect with colleagues in breakout networking sessions and the meeting hub
✓  Interact with speakers through live Q&A and networking
✓ Review event materials and presentations post-event
✓ Receive additional resources to boost your learning and support you in your role

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

• 09.00

  Online Registration

• 09.30

  Chair’s Opening Remarks 

  Victoria Head, Strategic Director – Skills and Employability, Catch-22 (CONFIRMED)

• 09.40

  Keynote: The Youth Employment Index: Trends, Outcomes and Recommendations

  • Understanding and addressing the link between improving youth employment rates and increasing local economic prosperity
  • Outlining the impact of the pandemic on youth unemployment and sharing measures to tackle growing inequalities
  • Strategies for engaging disadvantaged youth and supporting them to overcome barriers to employment
  • Reflecting on the Youth Employment Index: key takeaways and recommendations moving forward

  Joshua Knight, Senior Policy and Research Lead, Youth Employment UK (CONFIRMED)

• 10.00

  Keynote: Working in Partnership with Key Stakeholders to Identify and Fill Local Skills Gaps

  • Advice on forming successful partnerships across schools, councils and employers to access a wide range of young people
  • Working with employers and skills providers to ensure young people can access local, high-quality technical skills provision and careers
  • Guidance on identifying the needs and skills gaps in the local economy to tailor youth employment support and opportunities
  • Tools for sharing data securely and effectively across key stakeholders to maximise local pathways into employment
  • Creating targeted measures for young people who may be averse to help

  Tracy Watts, Skills and Employability Manager, York & North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership (invited)

• 10.20

  Case Study Brighton & Hove: Providing Wrap-Around Employability Support to NEET Young People

  • Setting the scene in Brighton & Hove
  • Early transition process and identifying those at risk of NEET
  • Challenges and innovative engagement
  • Partnership working strategies

  Rebecca Butler, Employability Manager, Employability Service – Skills & Employment, Brighton & Hove City Council (CONFIRMED)

• 10.40

  Questions and Answers 

• 11.00

  Comfort Break

• 11.20

  Breakout Networking: Engaging with Hard-to-Reach Young People who are NEET to Build Career Aspirations

  This session will provide you with the opportunity to discuss the main challenges you face in engaging with young NEET people who are disengaged with the system. This will allow you to share your experiences and encourage cross-sector collaboration.

• 11.45

  Case Study: Driving Student Employability and Careers Guidance in Schools and Colleges

  • Teaching techniques for embedding employability and in-demand skills into school curriculums
  • The Quality in Careers Standard Award: insights into delivering award winning careers information and support to all students
  • Establishing a large team of Careers Advisers to meet the needs of all students and provide long-term guidance
  • Creating an accessible centralised page to raise awareness of local opportunities including apprenticeships and volunteering
  • Delivering careers guidance interviews to tailor advice to the specific person

  Dina Mistry, Careers Leader, Bradford College (invited)

• 12.05

  Case Study: Collaborating to Deliver Additional, Tailored Careers Support to Young People with SEND

  • Youth WorkPath: working with local schools and other providers to deliver face-to-face careers guidance interviews for pupils with SEND
  • Liaising with SENCOs and social workers to develop career plans for students with SEND beyond year 11: key tips and outcomes
  • Strategies for engaging with parents to provide advice and wrap-around careers support at home as well as school
  • Employment opportunities: identifying when to provide additional support for young people with SEND to find and prepare for interviews

  Usha Kong, Careers and Social Mobility Manager, London Borough of Tower Hamlets (CONFIRMED)

• 12.25

  Case Study: Overcoming Barriers to Employment for Young Minority Ethnic People Through Targeted Programmes

  • Addressing the employability challenges young minority ethnic people encounter and sharing solutions to overcome them
  • Key resources to support youth organisations to progress young people’s career aspirations and enhance employability
  • Early intervention: designing programme models to build confidence and access work experience at an early age
  • Demonstrating a range of employability programmes aimed at minority ethnic people and their successes
  • The Employability Network: bringing youth practitioners together to share best practice and opportunities with members

  Zoe Mellis, Director of Programmes, London Youth (invited)

• 12.45

  Question and Answers

• 13.05

  Chair’s Closing Remarks

Who Should Attend?

This Conference is open to Public, Private and Third Sectors

For more information or to make a booking please call 0330 058 4285

We are now taking bookings for our wide range of sponsorship and exhibition packages; we also offer bespoke packages tailored for your organisation.

Why Sponsor and Exhibit at this event:

✓ Network with key decision-makers
✓ Meet your target audience in the Sector
✓ Listen and Learn from leading experts across the Sector
✓ Opportunity to demonstrate your products or services
✓ Speak alongside leading experts
✓ Work with your dedicated account manager to generate the maximum amount of leads

Exhibition and Sponsorship Packages:

Strategic Headline Sponsor:

• 20-minute speaking slot followed by Q&A
• 3x2m Exhibition Space (In the Refreshments and Catering room)
• Pre show marketing email to all registered delegates
• Post show inclusion on presentation email
• Branding on Website and Event Guide (Logo and 100 Word Profile)
• A4 Insert or A4 Chair Drop
• 5 Delegate Conference Passes
• 1 Speaker Pass

Key Supporter Package:

• 20-minute speaking slot followed by Q&A
• Branding on Website and Event Guide (Logo and 100 Word Profile)
• A4 Insert or Chair Drop
• 1 Speaker Pass
• 2 Delegate Conference Passes

Exhibition Stand:

• 3x2m Exhibition Space (In the Refreshments and Catering room)
• Power, Wifi, Table and 2 Chairs (If required)
• Branding on Website and Event Guide (Logo and 100 Word Profile)
• 2 Delegate Conference Passes
• 1 Stand Manager Pass

Insert or Chair Drop:

• 1 Delegate Conference Pass
• A4 insert into delegate pack or A4 Chair Drop

For more information or to discuss your requirements, please contact the team on 0330 0584 285, or sponsorship@governmentevents.co.uk or complete our enquiry form and we will contact you.

• Public and Voluntary Sector: £260.00+VAT
• Private Sector: £425.00+VAT