I welcome the announcement by Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg of £7.2 million to get young people in Wales who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), earning or learning again.
As part of Nick Clegg’s Youth Contract, the Coalition Government will, for the first time, target funding through tailored support on a payment-by-results system to 16 and 17-year-olds with no GCSEs at A* – C who are at the highest risk of long-term disengagement.
Liberal Democrats in the Coalition Government are doing the right thing and supporting young people in Wales who have had difficulty finding a job or training when they’ve left school.
Today’s announcement will ensure they receive personal, targeted support from experts to help them develop the confidence and skills that the need to stay in education or find a job.
Youth unemployment is a slow burn social disaster so it’s right that although money is tight, the Coalition Government is prioritising investment in the Youth Contract to get young people earning or learning.
Sitting at home with nothing to do when you’re so young can knock the stuffing out of you for years. It is a tragedy for the young people involved and a ticking time bomb for the economy and our society as a whole. This problem isn’t new, but in the current economic climate we urgently need to step up efforts to ensure some of our most troubled teenagers have the skills, confidence and opportunities to succeed.
Many of them will have complex problems: truancy, teenage pregnancy, a lack of GCSEs and health problems. So helping them onto their feet will not be without challenges and Government cannot do this alone. But we all have a duty to reach out to the young people who can be hardest to reach. That’s why today I am calling on charities and other organisations at the coal face to work with Government to help tens of thousands of lost teenagers onto a brighter path.
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So why did the Libdems in the coalition support the scrapping of the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) ?
It has not been scrapped, it has been restricted to the most needy kids. It was not delivering the outcomes required of it.
From the Directgov website
E”MA closed to new applicants in England
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme closed to new applicants on 1 January 2011. Schools, colleges and training providers have bursary funds to help you if you’re studying or starting a course and face financial hardship. For advice speak to student support services or your tutor
Closed Scrapped what’s the difference?
Does Jenny Williott believe it should be “closed” in Wales if not why did she vote to close it in England?
As we said there is a bursary scheme for poorer students. However, we would reiterate it was closed in England because it was not delivering the right outcomes. What Wales does is a matter for it and is unrelated.