Lib Dem Euro-MP, Rebecca Taylor, has backed plans that will help young people across Europe in getting into work. Today the European Parliament adopted a call for a Europe wide youth guarantee scheme, which will increase EU funding to help get young people who have been out of work back into education, training or a job.
Rebecca Taylor, Liberal Democrat MEP for Yorkshire and the Humber, commented:
“As part of the coalition government Liberal Democrats are determined to tackle youth unemployment and build a stronger, fairer economy. That is why a £1bn Youth Contract was launched last April, giving nearly half a million young people the chance to earn and learn. These efforts are now beginning to bear fruit. The recent national fall in unemployment was driven by the biggest drop in youth unemployment on record. In the Yorkshire and the Humber region the number of 16 to 24 year olds not in education, training or work has fallen by 20,000 (12.7%) since last year.”
It is expected that the EU Youth Guarantee Scheme will build on this recent progress by providing additional funding from the European Social Fund. This will help finance new government initiatives, such as the increased grants for small and medium-sized businesses taking on young apprentices announced by Vince Cable last week. It is also an example of how the EU and national governments can work together to tackle youth unemployment and train up the workforce of the future.
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Notes to Editors:
The Youth Contract works through wage subsidies, work placements, apprenticeships and tailored efforts focused on 16-18-year olds.
The proposal for a Youth Guarantee is part of the European Commission’s Youth Employment package, and would use EU funding such as the European Social Fund to help member states invest in education and training for young people who have been unemployed for over four months.