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Alan Milburn, a former minister under New Labour, has returned to his childhood home in Benwell, Newcastle, to carry out a government review focused on addressing the increasing number of young people classified as not in education, employment, or training (Neets). Currently, nearly one million individuals aged 16 to 24 fall into this category, marking the highest figure in over a decade. More than half of these young people are economically inactive, meaning they are not actively seeking work. Milburn highlights the north-east of England as a particularly difficult area for young people to secure employment, describing the situation as “a social catastrophe, an economic catastrophe and a political catastrophe.”
For Milburn, the challenge is deeply personal. Reflecting on his upbringing in a “pretty poor” family and attending a “terrible” school, he acknowledges that without luck and chance, his life path could have been very different. Close to his old home, he is involved as a trustee at Patchwork, a local youth project. Karl Maughan Gilbert, a senior youth worker there, criticizes the term Neet, calling it “horrible” with “really negative connotations,” and points out that it wrongly suggests young people have a choice in their situation. He emphasizes the need to avoid blaming individuals and instead examine systemic causes.
One worrying development pointed out by Milburn is the growing number of young people who are economically inactive, a trend he describes as youth detachment rather than simple youth unemployment. He sees this as an ongoing, worsening issue caused by factors including an outdated school curriculum, a mental health crisis, and shifts in the labor market – forming a “perfect storm.” Milburn warns that without action, the problem will grow more severe, especially in the face of future challenges such as the impact of artificial intelligence on employment. Jordan Thompson and Morgan Hogarth, two young men who experienced these difficulties firsthand but now work for the Newcastle United Foundation, echo these concerns. They describe leaving school with low confidence, few aspirations, and little practical knowledge about adult responsibilities such as taxes and job applications. Both attribute much of their struggle to the Covid pandemic, which limited their social interactions and development for critical years.
Milburn criticizes the current education system for failing to prepare young people adequately for the evolving job market, stating that it focuses too much on academic qualifications and insufficiently on essential skills like communication, creativity, and adaptability. He highlights an urgent need for reforms aligned with employer needs and anticipates that developments in AI will further transform the labor landscape. Despite political challenges and differing views regarding welfare and employment policies, Milburn stresses that tackling this issue requires a comprehensive approach addressing education, mental health, and employment support. In their own words, young people like Thompson urge policymakers to understand their experiences: “Put yourself in our shoes,” he says, reflecting on the frustration of facing bleak prospects and feeling lost despite wanting a stable future
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