Youth unemployment is rising, but so is the need for real community solutions

Recent national reporting shows youth unemployment in the UK has risen sharply, with around one in six young people now out of work. The highest level in over a decade.

Behind those numbers are real young people facing fewer entry-level jobs, tougher competition, and a growing sense that opportunities are getting further away rather than closer. Open vacancies have fallen, entry-level roles are shrinking, and the path from school to work is becoming less clear.

But statistics don’t tell the full story.

In the communities we work in, youth unemployment isn’t just about jobs.
It’s about confidence.
Belonging.
Skills.
Connection.
Belief that there is a future worth working toward.

When those things are missing, employment becomes harder to access and harder to sustain.

What we’re seeing on the ground

We’re seeing young people who want to work but don’t know where to start.
Young people who have applied for dozens of roles and heard nothing back.
Young people who’ve never had a chance to build the confidence or real-world experience employers are looking for.

We’re also seeing young people who are incredibly capable, but haven’t been given the time, support or opportunities to show it.

Youth unemployment doesn’t start at the job centre.
It starts much earlier, with whether young people feel supported, listened to and able to imagine a future for themselves.

Our response: The Grassroot Activators Programme (GAP)

The Grassroot Activators Programme (GAP) exists to tackle this challenge head-on.

GAP isn’t just about getting young people into jobs.
It’s about helping them build the foundations that make employment possible.

Through GAP, young people develop:

Confidence and self-belief
Real-world and transferable skills
Leadership and teamwork
Mentoring relationships
Pathways into volunteering, training and employment

We focus on long-term development, not quick fixes.
Because when young people are given time, support and opportunities, they thrive.

And when they thrive, communities thrive.

Our GAP programme has helped many participants find meaningful work that follows their passions.

GAP Particpant, Solomon, found meaningful following his passions to become a chef. As part of the project, he was asigned a mentor, who helped him gain work experience, which led to a paid position.

We’ve seen first-hand what happens when young people are given real opportunities.

Through GAP, several young people who once faced barriers to employment are now working as youth and community workers within our organisation.

They’re now the ones leading sessions, supporting others, and showing what’s possible. Their journey, from uncertain to employed, from participant to role model, is exactly why this work matters.

Why community-led solutions matter

National policy and economic shifts will always play a role in employment trends.
But local, relational youth work is where change becomes real.

Young people need consistent adults who believe in them.
They need safe spaces to try, fail, learn and grow.
They need opportunities that feel accessible, not out of reach.

That’s what community youth work provides.
And it’s why programmes like GAP are more important than ever.

This isn’t someone else’s problem

Youth unemployment affects all of us, our communities, our local economy, and our shared future.

If we want to see change, it takes collective action from businesses, funders, partners and community members who believe young people deserve opportunities to succeed.

We know the solutions exist.
We see them working every week.

Now we need to scale them.