Funding approved to help disadvantaged young people find work
A charity which aims to transform young people’s lives, unite communities and tackle inequality of opportunity in Oxfordshire has been awarded funding of £150,000.
Oxfordshire County Council has granted Oxfordshire Youth £50,000 annually for three years. The funding will enable its Business Guardians programme to engage with more companies and support more young people across the county.
By 2028, the grant should enable Business Guardians to reach 500 additional disadvantaged young people in the county – including care leavers – who are most at risk of being excluded from the labour market.
Councillor Ben Higgins, Oxfordshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation, said: “Oxfordshire Youth has been championing the county’s young people since 1947, and the work it does is needed now more than ever.
“Today’s young people face growing pressures on their mental health and employment prospects, while family and relationship breakdowns are impacting the numbers of young people moving into care.
“That’s why we’re proud to be able to provide financial support for this valuable programme, which aims to give Oxfordshire’s young people who need it the most, equitable access to opportunities that can unlock and nurture their potential.”
The grant will enable the charity to work with employers to tackle youth unemployment, provide industry specific workshops, events, work placement and work experience offers, and organise mentorship programmes.
Businesses already involved with the charity are ARC Oxford, Blenheim Palace, BMW Mini, Cleenol, David Lloyd Clubs Oxford, Ebbon Group, Freeths, The Oxford Collection and Lucy Group.
The council will also join the programme as principal sponsor and strategic partner.
Emmy O'Shaughnessy, Director of Innovation and Growth and Deputy CEO of Oxfordshire Youth, and Chair of Youth Futures Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnerships, said: “We are delighted that Oxfordshire County Council is joining as principal sponsor and strategic partner of the Business Guardians. This is a pioneering model that has mobilised nine of Oxfordshire's leading employers to partner with Oxfordshire Youth to address the inequalities that hold too many young people back from achieving their potential.
“The programme addresses the government's concern that one in eight young people are not in education, employment or training by creating coordinated pathways between employers, young people, and the voluntary children and young people's sector.
“What makes this partnership so powerful is that it's rooted in shared values: a belief that every young person deserves access to meaningful careers, that inequality must be actively dismantled, not just discussed, and that hope is built through action.”
The council identified the Business Guardians as a key part of Oxfordshire Works – the county’s response to the government's Get Britain Working Plan to reform employment, health and skills support to tackle economic inactivity and support people into good work.
The Business Guardians will collaborate with Oxfordshire Youth over the next three years to unlock employability opportunities for young people facing multiple barriers to work, including access to apprenticeship pathways, work placements, employability workshops and mentorship.
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