Youth Employment Taskforce and Charter

The recession had a disproportionate effect on young people getting jobs. A whole generation of young people (16 to 24 year olds) risk being scarred by unemployment.

Urgent action is needed from Government, business and educationalists in order to build robust bridges into the world of work, address the current expectations gap and avert the threat of a lost generation.

This is the core message of a report published by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation’s Youth Employment Taskforce. Practical recommendations include revamping careers services, stimulating demand for new staff, raising awareness of the changing employment landscape and harnessing different routes into work such internships and temporary assignments. To view the initial Youth Employment Taskforce report, click here.

To help tackle the problems of youth unemployment, the REC is launching our Youth Employment Charter, a voluntary initiative that helps members play an active role in helping young jobseekers.

The Charter also recognises the excellent initiatives that are already happening throughout the industry at a time when nearly 1 million young people are not in education or employment, and builds upon the work of the REC's Youth Employment Taskforce.To help tackle the problems of youth unemployment, the REC is launching our Youth Employment Charter, a voluntary initiative that helps members play an active role in helping young jobseekers.

To view a copy of the Charter, CLICK HERE

To sign up to the Youth Employment Charter, CLICK HERE

What is the Youth Employment Charter?

The Charter is an initiative through which REC members pledge to  help reduce youth unemployment, and showcases existing good practice within the industry to reach out to the next generation of workers.

The REC will support Charter signatories to build bridges between the recruitment industry and young jobseekers, for example by linking them up with organisations like the Prince's Trust, the Employers and Education Taskforce, or National Apprenticeships Service.

Why should I sign up?

Whilst signing up to the Charter is entirely voluntary, we believe that as employment experts the recruitment industry has a key role to play in addressing youth unemployment. 

In turn, the REC will help broker relationships between the recruitment industry and organisations that work successfully with young people and highlight examples of good practice. Not only is signing up to the Charter the right thing to do, but it could give your business free and invaluable publicity.

The REC will be highlighting in its media work examples of Agencies who have shown outstanding commitment in tackling youth unemployment. 

What do signatories need to do?

Signatories to the Youth Employment Carter pledge to play an active role in delivering the recommendations of the Youth Employment Taskforce, for example by: