Businesses in Hull are being urged to show their support in a drive to increase the number of young people in securing part-time work whilst in full-time education.
Hull City Council and local charity Child Dynamix would like to understand how organisations view the employment of young people in roles like Saturday jobs, what barriers there are, and what informs their decision in whether they will or not and barriers they may face in recruiting or employing young people.
A recent study by the UK Commission for Employment and Skills The Death of the Saturday Job, found that young people who combine work with full time education, gain valuable life skills, are more likely to secure full time jobs, or, as high education students are more likely to get higher grades and secure graduate jobs.*
Increasing earning whilst learning is not only beneficial for employers and young people; it will also benefit the wider economy.
Despite these benefits there has been a decline in young people combining work with study. In 1997, 42 per cent of 16-17 year-olds were also working; this figure reduced drastically in 2014 to 18 per cent. The study suggests that nationally 55 per cent of young people are not working because they want to focus on their studies. In Hull, the number of child work permits issued reduced from 69 in 2013 to 20 in 2016.*
Councillor Phil Webster, Portfolio Holder for Learning, Skills and Safeguarding Children, said: This is a really important programme which explores the opportunities for young people across the city, and how they can combine working part-time with full-time learning.
We want to hear from local businesses and work with them to support our efforts in getting more young people into part-time jobs and tackle any obstacles from stopping them.
If we can increase prospects by closing the gaps and breaking down the barriers then everyone benefits. Young people will gain independence, build confidence and resilience as well as preparing them for full-time employment. They are more likely to be more focussed on doing well and succeed at school and in the future.
Jane Stafford, Chief Executive Officer at Child Dynamix, said: This has been a passion of mine for some time now and we are excited to be working in partnership with the Council to understand more about what we can all do to engage young people in part-time work whilst they are at secondary school and beyond. I benefited from a part time job both a paper round and working in retail during secondary school and through college it gave me confidence, and my first steps to independence whilst teaching me about the workplace, thats what I want for todays young people.
The survey can be completed by following the link https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=151033020879
https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=151033020879