SFC news published since 2018. See SFC archived content for earlier news articles.
The first organisations to back the £60 million Young Person’s Guarantee have been announced by Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop.
In a collective effort to help young people, the Scottish Government has been joined by SSE, Capgemini, NHS Lothian, Scottish Water and Standard Life Aberdeen in the commitment to ensure everyone aged between 16 and 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training.
The Guarantee aims to give all young people in Scotland the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19) Organisations backing the Guarantee make five pledges to help young people at this critical time:
- Prepare young people for the world of work through work experience, volunteering and work-based learning opportunities.
- Engage with and provide opportunities to young people who face barriers to work.
- Create work-based learning, training and upskilling opportunities for young people.
- Create jobs and opportunities for young people through apprenticeships, paid internships and work experience.
- Create an inclusive workplace to support learning and enable young people to meet their potential.
Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said:
“The pandemic is having a disproportionate economic effect on our young people, reducing job opportunities just as they are starting out on their careers. I am delighted to be launching the Young Person’s Guarantee today to help ensure their prospects are not permanently damaged
“I want to thank the early trailblazers who have backed our ambitious initiative and recognise the importance of supporting our young people.
“The leadership of employers from across Scotland and from all sectors will be key in providing the opportunities that will make this Guarantee a success. This employer leadership will build on our strong track record of tackling youth unemployment through our industry led Youth Employment Strategy – Developing the Young Workforce.”
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) is proud to be a partner supporting the Young Person Guarantee. Colleges and universities will play a significant role in delivering the educational and training elements of the scheme and will be supported to do so with funding allocated by SFC.