Over 5,000 young people aged 11-30 completed the annual Youth Voice Census in 2024. This census is a deep dive into how young people in the UK feel about their lives, education and work experiences.

From this year's findings, we learned that location is more important than ever. Where you live has always mattered, but it is playing an increasing role in the lives of young people.

Concern around the availability of local jobs has grown, moving from the 6th biggest concern young people had in 2023 to one of the top 3 barriers to finding work in 2024 (as well as anxiety and a lack of work experience). Finding and accessing quality work is becoming more difficult, with just 10% thinking they will be able to access quality work where they live.

Accessing opportunities can be a double-edged sword for many young people. They feel they need to widen their job search beyond local opportunities, but the rising cost of living and affordability of travel have an increasing influence on the decisions they make.

It’s not just the access to local jobs that is concerning this year. Young people have had access to fewer services and enrichment opportunities than ever before, either because they don’t have them or because transport to them is unreliable or unsafe. Young people are being forced to compromise on cost, safety and/or location to access what they need.

What can we do?

1. Ensure that opportunities to access youth provision, sports, volunteering and other forms of enrichment are accessible to young people where they live.
2. Ensure young people are better able to share their voice on what they need to progress. Commit to making the services around young people work by ensuring that EHCP plans, mental health services, care support and support with housing is available when they need it.
3. Build the Young Person’s Guarantee at a hyperlocal level. Ensure that there are quality training, apprenticeship and employment opportunities for young people where they live and that barriers such as transport and costs are removed.
4. Encourage employers to understand their role in developing good quality opportunities for young people, recognising the Good Youth Employment Standards and encouraging employers to measure their activity with the Good Youth Employment Benchmark.

Visit Youth Employment UK to find the full Youth Voice Census report.

About Youth Employment UK

Founded in 2012 by Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE DL, Youth Employment UK is an independent, not-for-profit social enterprise tackling youth unemployment. Utilising membership, Youth Employment UK helps employers across the UK adhere to the Good Youth Employment Standards to attract and retain young talent.

Members can utilise our recruitment package to post unlimited jobs and events to our interactive opportunity finder, where young people can search for jobs local to them.

Media Contact
Laura-Jane Rawlings MBE DL CEO / Lauren Mistry Deputy CEO
Tel: 01536 513388
Email: [email protected]