Campaign

Work Experience Works

Best-practice guidance for inclusive, impactful work experience.

In the face of rising youth unemployment and economic inactivity, removing the barriers that prevent young people from accessing the world of work has never been more critical. Time and again, young people tell us that the biggest barrier to securing a job is a lack of work experience. This is the harsh reality of the "no experience, no job" cycle — one that leaves too many young people struggling to step onto the career ladder.

At Movement to Work, we are committed to breaking this cycle. Alongside our network of partners and employers, we have co-created the Work Experience Works best-practice guidance to support more inclusive, impactful and purpose-driven work experience programmes.

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Our nine principles

The Work Experience Works guidance is built around nine principles, grouped into three core themes that every quality programme should be designed around.

Prioritise Equity through Intentional Design & Collaboration

Principle 1: Design with purpose and inclusion
Principle 2: Set clear objectives and structured learning outcomes
Principle 3: Build impactful partnerships through collaboration

Deliver Transformative Learning Experiences

Principle 4: Cultivate robust mentorship and peer support
Principle 5: Foster holistic support and wellbeing
Principle 6: Integrate transferable employability skills

Create Sustainable Pathways for Growth

Principle 7: Track impact and iterate
Principle 8: Celebrate achievements and long-term impact
Principle 9: Curate meaningful outcomes for all young people

Watch the intro

Work Experience Works — programme intro

Case studies

Work Experience Works — case studies from across the Movement

Resources

Templates, toolkits and case studies to help you put these ideas into practice.

Movement to Work

SME Toolkit

Tips to help support SMEs who are ready to make a difference by offering meaningful work experience opportunities to NEET young people.

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Skillsbuilder

Universal Framework

A clear, step-by-step approach to incorporating essential employability skills.

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Breyer Group

The value of work experience at Breyer

Read about Katie's journey with hands-on training in the construction industry.

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Movement to Work

Levelling the Playing Field

Report outlining insights, recommendations and actions to harness GenAI responsibly.

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Youth Futures Foundation

Youth Employment Toolkit

Summarising evidence on the impact, cost, and effectiveness of youth employment interventions.

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Careers & Enterprise Company

Employer Standards for Careers Education

A review of progress in implementing employer engagement standards in careers education.

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Careers & Enterprise Company

Modern Work Experience

Exploring new approaches to work experience that align with the changing world of work.

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Youth Futures Foundation

On-the-Job Training Toolkit 2024

Evidence and guidance on effective workplace training for young people.

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Gatsby Benchmarks

Updated Gatsby Benchmarks

A refreshed framework outlining the latest benchmarks for high-quality careers education.

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Get involved

Raise awareness and share your view — download the guidance and share it with your network.
Join Movement to Work — it's free! Movement to Work is a registered charity offering free support to businesses seeking to develop youth employability programmes. There is no cost to join, no monthly fees, no price tag for events — no catch. All we ask is that you join our mission and commit to creating quality opportunities for young people, and in return we're here to help you every step of the way.
Already involved in Movement to Work? Reach out to a member of our team if you'd like to explore how to embed this guidance into your youth employability approach — info@movementtowork.com.

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