A brand new pilot scheme is launching in Northumberland to support and empower young people on their employability journey.
CONNECT: Future Ready, a project commissioned by North East Combined Authority funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, aims to support economically inactive and socially isolated young people aged between 16 and 30 years old based in Northumberland.
Delivered by award-winning theatre, drama and creative learning charity Mortal Fools, CONNECT: Future Ready is a targeted response to the impact that the COVID 19 pandemic and mental health crisis has had on young people’s lives.
The scheme will initially run until March 2025, with three programmes set to take place in October, November and January, and aims to tackle the region’s significant workforce skills gap – with North East businesses claiming that 59% of job vacancies are ‘hard to fill’.
Recent figures also show that over half (54%) of young people in the UK who are currently not in education, employment or training are economically inactive – an increase from 41% in 2011. For these young people, mental health has been identified as a “substantial barrier” to employability.
Unlike historic employability initiatives which have often focused on getting people ‘CV ready’ and encouraging them to pursue any employment regardless of suitability, CONNECT: Future Ready is a person-centric, needs-based approach harnessing the power of creativity as an initial way of boosting confidence and skills.
CONNECT: Future Ready draws on Mortal Fools’ existing CONNECT personal and professional development training to provide holistic support and meet Northumberland-based young people where they are at in their employability journey, acknowledging their unique and complex needs and aspirations whilst developing their employability, interpersonal and life skills.
Kiz Crosbie, Mortal Fools CEO & Artistic Director, commented: “As an organisation specialising in work with young people, we are delighted to be working with the North East Combined Authority to explore new approaches to employability skills development with the young people in our region.
“More traditional approaches to employability often don’t meet the contemporary needs of young people, especially those with intersectional needs or facing multiple barriers to successfully joining the workforce.
“This investment, to explore new approaches to this work, feeding into the future economic prosperity of our region, together with supporting the development of individual young people is urgently needed and we are proud to be a part of it.”
The project is one of two new employability initiatives led by Mortal Fools, who have led a range of creative interventions in school and youth settings as well as previous young people’s employability projects.
Alongside CONNECT: Future Ready, Mortal Fools is also working on the CONNECT: Creative Futures pilot project, with support from North East Combined Authority, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, Asda Foundation and Arts Council England. CONNECT: Creative Futures aims to demystify career pathways for young people into the creative industries and champion creativity as an important employability skill.
Amber Swift from Northumbrian Water, which held a Creative Futures event, commented: “The Mortal Fools Team are like a warm hug to work with. Nothing was a problem.
“The students and schools got so much from their workshop, it was noted as a Top 3 from the event with many saying it was engaging, thought-provoking and that they gained valuable skills for employment and education. Especially more confidence!
“We won’t hesitate to contact Mortal Fools again for our next Young Citizens Work Experience Event and we would encourage other companies to reach out to them – they bring something different to work experience weeks and careers events!”
With the Northumberland Train line set to be reintroduced as a passenger route, both initiatives have the potential to open up a world of opportunity for local young people, as well as enabling businesses and investment to tap into a previously untapped hotspot of talent and creativity.
Vicki Clarke, Employment Partnership Coordinator at Northumberland County Council, added: “We recognise the barriers that young people can face into employment – it’s a challenging time to be a young person.
“These innovative employability programmes from Mortal Fools will inspire creativity, build confidence, and foster wellbeing to empower individuals to take steps towards employment and their future career goals. We are proud to support them.”
The first CONNECT: Future Ready programme launches in early October (signup deadline on 29th September) – find out more and sign up here.
To find out more about Mortal Fools’ young people’s employability work, or to commission Mortal Fools to run an employability enhancing intervention or session for young people, email Rachel.Horton@mortalfools.org.uk.