‘We need to ask – is the Government meeting the needs of young people right now?’
URGENT action is needed to stop the North East from becoming the youth unemployment capital of the UK.
That’s the stark warning from Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness who fears the coronavirus pandemic could have a devastating long-term impact on the region’s young people, and in turn spark a rise in crime.
Speaking after The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) published frightening predictions that unemployment among young people in the UK is set to become the highest on record, Ms McGuinness revealed her major concerns for the future.
She said: “I am more worried than ever for our young people. Youth unemployment is set to go through the roof.
“We can’t let the long-term impacts of this virus be underestimated. We can’t see these headlines that youth employment could rise to two million, and do nothing about it.
“Some regions are going to be hit harder than others.
“It’s not an even playing field and I for one don’t want the North East to get the ‘worst in the country’ label.
“We all know that unemployment goes hand-in-hand with high crime rates. That’s why we’re doing everything possible to support young people and ensure they have opportunities right here on our doorstep, but the Government needs to act fast and address the bigger picture.”
The IPPR’s research suggests that without further Government action there will be an extra 620,000 young UK citizens unemployed by the end of the year.
Ms McGuinness believes tackling youth unemployment needs to be at the centre of all regional recovery plans, and young people need more support to get into employment.
And she has urged the Government to make youth employment a priority in the upcoming spending review.
She said: “Let’s face it, a lot of the jobs filled by young people in our bars, our gyms, our shops – they were the first to disappear in lockdown and they’re the last to come back, and that’s if workers are coming back from being furloughed at all.”
Last year the Commissioner set up a Northumbria Violence Reduction Unit with the aim of tackling the root causes of violent crime.
In recent months the unit has been working with local organisations including Movement to Work and the Newcastle United Foundation, in a bid to increase work experience opportunities and help young people develop the skills they need to get into work.
Ms McGuinness added: “I’m proud of the young people in our region who have had to adapt to big changes and disruption overnight.
“Schools have been closed, exams cancelled, and they’ve also had lots of their independence and face-to-face support networks stripped right back.
“So we need to ask – is the Government meeting the needs of young people right now, are there enough local opportunities and are we looking ahead to their futures?”