Sheffield residents on what can be done to help teens not in education or employment
Star readers were quick to suggest what can be done to help teenagers in this position.
Sheffield has been revealed as one of the worst places in the UK for teenagers not being in work or education.
It was recently reported that Sheffield is one of the worst places in the UK for 16 and 17-year-olds not gaining new life or work skills.
It was found that nearly 800 people in the demographic were not in education, employment or training, with Sheffield ranking 11th out of all local authorities in England.
This marks a 40% rise over the past five years for young people in Sheffield with no current way of gaining skills or employment.
Star readers were quick to suggest what can be done to help teenagers in this position.
Many agreed that increased access to apprenticeships or the reintroduction of Youth Training Schemes (YTS), a system that gave school leavers work experience and on-the-job training, would be an appropriate way to help youngsters gain more skills.
Sarah Rebecca Hill posted: “I have a 17-year-old in this position and my nearly 21-year-old was the same.
“A decent job coach, incentives, encouragement, patients, opportunities. They don't get any money from the government at all, YTS would be fab!”
Darrell Oades added: “Back to the days when it was YTS or you had your money stopped. You start Monday!”
Helen Burton said that her three grandsons all applied to apprenticeships in order to learn on the job. She wrote: “They all applied themselves, plumber, bricklayer and mechanic.
“Each one is doing really well, living independent lives and enjoying it. So to me apprenticeships are the way forward.”
Some readers suggested that the rise in unemployment and education in young people is part of a wider issue.
Lynda Hulbert suggested that lowering the country’s retirement age would open the job market for young people. She wrote: “All the jobs school leavers did are now taken up by the older generation who have served enough and should be allowed to enjoy their golden years, not work til death. The world is messed up!”
Jennifer Dunstan said that the cost of living needs to be improved first: “Training is so important, but if they’re working as a part of that they need to be on a wage - not a lowered wage.
“This is so important because the cost of living is so incredibly out of control and also, so many young people don’t come from families with enough money to pick up the slack- some don’t even have a family looking out for them, so they need a wage.”
Lindsay Rogers posted: “I think it has to start at home and having the right mindset.
“Poor mental health needs addressing and teenagers need to feel they are heard and plans put into place to support them.”