Tackling Youth Unemployment

Friday, 14 October 2011 11:28

Tackling Youth Unemployment

Youth unemployment has hit the headlines once again this week, and the question is how do we solve the problem! It’s not just about creating new jobs….

Striding Out has engaged with over 4000 unemployed young people claiming job seekers allowance. Through this activity we have found the main barriers facing young people to be:-  no or little real work experience on their CV, lack of clarity on what they want to do, and really low levels of motivation and confidence due to repeated rejection. These issues reinforce each other and create a spiralling negative outcome to hamper a young person’s progress and would even prevent them from securing a job even if one existed.

Our team has found that providing just career guidance or information on job opportunities wasn’t going to solve the unemployment problem, but instead professional coaching tools and techniques had to be used with client to reignite their motivation and empower them. Our team used a range of coaching tools to help a young person take the next positive steps to:-

1. Identify and ignite their passion for a specific skill, hobby, job or industry that they could pursue as a career.
2. Support them on how to research contacts at the organisation and how best to approach them.
3. Motivate them to contact organisations that offer the type of opportunity they want, to secure work experience and enquire about job opportunities.
4. Build confidence in their personal presentation, image and capabilities.   

Professional Coaching Tools and Techniques are renowned for helping an individual to take responsibility for their situation, to regain control with a renewed sense of passion and motivation, to take steps forward to achieve their goal.

We have found that our Coaching style has helped our clients to develop self-confidence, gain clarity and focus, be resourceful, develop a positive can-do attitude and take responsibility for achieving results. We feel coaching tools are an important addition to anyone tool’s box if you are working with or supporting unemployed individuals, whether you are a parent, youth adviser, career adviser, recruiter etc.

“The coaching has helped me to clarify my future goals and set in place plans to achieve my goals, it also helped me realize things about skills I already had but had missed about myself. It will help me in the future writing my C.V and applying for jobs.” Carrie Ann Broomhall.

Add Coaching Tools and Techniques to your Toolbox.....  

Striding Out is running an accredited Training Programme in Mentoring & Coaching Skills in Birmingham and London. To find out more visit http://www.stridingout.co.uk/services/networking-and-training-events.html or call 0203 303 0468.

We have also produced a Mobile App which gives young people career guidance and coaching tools to take their next step independently. Find out more here http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/your-nxt-step/id463150264?mt=8