Youth unemployment is an urgent and worsening issue across the UK, and London is no exception. Youth unemployment has risen sharply among young people while, staying largely constant for other age groups.  

The world of entry-level work is transforming (e.g. due to AI and economic pressures) and this is disproportionately impacting young people, who are increasingly locked out of work. 

There is a great disparity across London, and RBKC is no exception. Wealth in some areas obscures the inequality that exists within the borough, particularly in education and childhood poverty, and an unemployment rate exceeding the London average. 

However, there are several organisations working together with the local community to address this pressing issue and with some great progress! 

Kensington and Chelsea Foundation’s partnership with Construction Youth Trust is one such example of this.  

The Foundation strives to ensure the entire RBKC community has the opportunity to live happy, healthy, fulfilled lives.  

They partnered with Construction Youth Trust, a social mobility charity providing vulnerable young people with intensive employability support, to prepare them for and connect them to genuinely life-changing opportunities in the built environment sector. Its skills shortage and wealth of diverse “jobs of the future” with great pay and progression prospects, makes the industry a great driver of social mobility.  

Together, they have reached almost 50 young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups, delivering a range of employability masterclasses and tailored 1-2-1 coaching.  

This includes connecting young people to industry professionals, which helps immerse them in the world of work, enabling them to gain greater insight and advice on different careers. These early professional encounters are proven to enhance long-term prospects and earnings, building confidence and networks.  

For example, industry professionals from a sector-leading employer met with young people who recently joined the programme and are interested in engineering to discuss the career and its responsibilities. For young people more advanced on the programme, this has involved work experience placements with hiring local employers.  

Young people are supported for as long as they need by CYT – typically, this is about 6 months. Of the young people engaged on the programme for 6+ months, 74% have already secured employment, education or training (EET) outcomes and/or achieved crucial qualifications for working on the UK construction sites! 

Young people who have already made their progressions secured an exciting and rewarding range of outcomes, including apprenticeships in plumbing and painting & decorating, labouring roles, and a variety of college courses.  

And, in feedback collected by CYT, 87% young people reported improved confidence! This greater self-belief increases motivation and aspiration, encouraging young people to aim high, put themselves out there, and make the most of opportunities, as well as helping them overcome any challenges and setbacks.  

Young people have also said:  

“CYT have been so helpful I felt any barrier I did have wasn’t going to stop me” 

“I’ve gained very good support and confidence through taking part in the programme” 

“I would recommend getting in contact with Construction Youth Trust as they are currently helping me look for a career in construction and have made me more confident to go through with it”  

With youth unemployment being a persistent issue and the construction and built environment sector offering an exciting, long-term solution to this, CYT hopes to continue to partner with great organisations in the borough, like Kensington + Chelsea Foundation, to help young people achieve their full potential, with tangible, rewarding opportunities aligned to their skills and ambitions.  

We are very excited for the year ahead!