Private companies, including Pertemps, are being enlisted
by ministers to help more young people to find the drive to
go back to work or college.
Start-to-finish activities will be conducted by the firms
involved in the scheme, in order to tackle the high number
of 16 and 17 year-olds who are not in education, employment
or training.
Members of the so-called "Neet" generation could
be woken up by private companies as part of the initiative,
which forms a section of the Youth Contract - Nick
Clegg's £126 million project.
Mr Clegg revealed more details about the scheme, which
seeks to get 55,000 young people back into work or
education. The firms and charities involved will be paid
based on their results.
For each young person helped, organisations could receive
£2,200, but the full sum will be paid only if a person
remains in full-time education, work or training half a
year later.
Mr Clegg said: "Young people who have fallen through
the net need tailored support to get back on track.
"We can't treat them like round pegs being forced
into square holes - if you're young and have got to the
point where you feel on the scrapheap, you need extra help
to succeed in life.
"Disengaged young people often have complex problems
that act as a barrier to getting them learning again, which
the Government alone can't deal with. But very often
local charities and businesses know what's going to
help them."
Pertemps People Development Group is set to run a scheme in
the North East, and will offer wake-up calls to get young
people into a routine. This initiative will also try to
engage youngsters and aims to get them to undertake
positive activities.
Former soldiers will deliver motivational sessions to young
people who are disengaged via another scheme in Yorkshire,
which is part of the Heroes to Inspire campaign.
Mr Clegg said those firms chosen to help must "be as
creative and innovative as they can, to do whatever it
takes, to get the young people who need it most back on
their feet".
He added: "In exchange for this freedom, all we ask is
that they get results. It's a win-win for the
Government, young people and the organisations
involved."
The programme, which will last for three years, will focus
on "Neets" aged 16 and 17 who have no A* to C
GCSEs and who are at the highest risk of being disengaged
in the long-term.
Copyright Press Association 2012
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