Why get involved?
Founded in 2013, Movement to Work (MtW) helps employers provide high-quality youth employability programmes for 16-30 year olds who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET). To date, MtW members have delivered more than 175,000 opportunities to date across the UK, with over 50% of programme participants progressing into jobs and apprenticeships, or returning to education.
Engaging in youth employment initiatives: Top benefits
In November 2021, The Large Employers and the Youth Labour Market research report commissioned by Movement to Work and Youth Futures Foundation, and co-sponsored by Accenture and Sage, highlighted some of the key business benefits following engagement in youth employment initiatives including:
Diverse ideas, people and skills
Our workforces must evolve to be more representative of the society we live in. Employing young people is a great way of increasing diversity within an organisation. Young people bring different energy, helping to foster a positive atmosphere that boosts staff morale and retention. New ideas and diverse perspectives create a more innovative and productive environment by challenging norms and can bring a wider variety of skills into play.
Stronger talent pipeline
Stabilising resource for entry level roles is important for any business. Helping to secure and build a talent pipeline is the key benefit of schemes such as apprenticeships. Investing the time and money to train and develop young people can safeguard current and future skills, whilst also helping to generate a pool of talent for an entire sector.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Whilst some organisations don’t have corporate responsibility objectives specifically aimed at engaging young people, many refer to Corporate Social Responsibility or a desire to support the local community as a reason for youth engagement. However, those that do have formal responsibility policies agreed that youth engagement helps them meet such objectives. The research indicates that when there’s a greater alignment between HR led youth employment initiatives and CSR goals, better corporate outcomes can be achieved.
Read more about our research here.
Creating workplace opportunities for young people can have many benefits. This employer’s guide by the Change Foundation explores the barriers faced by young people and the value that work placements can bring. Visit ‘The Movement‘ for more information.
Return on Investment
Accenture’s study into the financial performance of the NHS employability programme demonstrated a return of 2.5 times on every £1 spent and a breakeven threshold of 19 months. Specific benefits include reduced turnover (9%), reduced absence (2%) and increased staff commitment, with 80% of hiring managers considering the initiative to have had a positive impact.
Diversity and Inclusion
MtW is an integral recruitment tool to help businesses build a sustainable and diverse talent pipeline. When sourced via youth engagement partners for example, the cohort participating in employability programmes can reflect the demographic of the communities in which an employer’s operations are located.
Social Value and Engagement
MtW provides a platform to embed social purpose into the business model and actively demonstrates an organisations commitment to driving social change. Joining The Movement also creates a positive impact for existing employees, supporting development of line management, leadership and mentoring skills.