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YouthPath initiative launched to tackle youth unemployment across Greater Manchester

YouthPath Greater Manchester MOU signing
4 February 2026
Greater Manchester has become the latest region to join YouthPath, a national initiative from charity Movement to Work that connects employers with young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) and helps them move into work, training or apprenticeships.
YouthPath supports employers across the city region to offer high-quality opportunities for 16–30-year-olds who are NEET — including work experience, apprenticeships, internships, traineeships and entry-level roles. The initiative will help to tackle youth unemployment and close critical skills gaps in Greater Manchester.

In Greater Manchester, around 4,000 young people aged 16–17 are not in education, employment or training. The YouthPath initiative is part of the ambition to ensure that every young person has a clear line of sight into a good job in the city region.

YouthPath launches as Greater Manchester sets out its plan to reindustrialise the region, focusing on five global growth sectors. By supporting young people who are currently out of training, education or work, the initiative will help ensure young people growing up here can benefit from the new opportunities being created across the region — and help employers build stronger local talent pipelines.

As part of the launch, Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service and Transport for Greater Manchester are the first to pledge their support as employers, creating pathways into work and training within Greater Manchester's public sector.

Greater Manchester is the third region to launch the YouthPath initiative. Movement to Work has already created more than 225,000 opportunities for young people, with 89% of participants moving on to employment, education or further training.

In the West Midlands, YouthPath is already making a difference to young people facing barriers to work. After a few setbacks, Fathi joined a five-day YouthPath work-experience programme with Accenture — which ultimately led to an apprenticeship.

The Movement to Work programme helped me build my confidence. Seeing what was on offer and how many young people had already succeeded made me realise I could achieve the same. Now, I'm proud to be doing exactly that as an Accenture Apprentice.
Fathi

Sareena Bains, CEO of Movement to Work, said: 'Young people across Greater Manchester deserve real opportunities to build their futures. YouthPath shows what can be achieved when employers, local partners and the public sector work together to open doors into work, training and apprenticeships. By supporting businesses to get involved, we can help more young people develop the skills they need while building a more inclusive and future-ready workforce.'

The launch is just the beginning. Employers across Greater Manchester are now invited to sign up to YouthPath and join a growing coalition committed to tackling youth unemployment.

Movement to Work provides expert, fully-funded support to help businesses develop or strengthen youth employment programmes, access a diverse and motivated talent pipeline, and make a real impact on their local community.

Together, employers and partners can unlock opportunity, strengthen communities, and build a brighter future for young people in Greater Manchester.