Tackling youth unemployment and supporting aspirations requires “radical intervention” at a local level

Television producer, Phil Redmond, discusses in the Observer the need to narrow the gap between young people’s enthusiasm, optimism, aspirations and educational attainment in Knowsley, Merseyside.

A report launched by charity 4Children; ‘Working towards unlocking the potential of young people’ found evidence of “great entrepreneurialism, activism and inspiring creativity in the borough”. At aged 12, educational attainment among young people in Knowsley was in line with the national average; however, by aged 18, it fell below the national average and young people were leaving school with poor employment prospects and no local jobs to go to. Redmond argues that the “Big Society” approach needs to be localised, not led by national politicians, and articulated in such a way that it is meaningful to the ‘young people of Knowsley, Croxteth, Moss Side, or St Pauls or Tower Hamlets, or wherever the turf war shooting occurs”.

 To read the article in full please go to the Guardian's website