{"id":66657,"date":"2025-07-23T15:51:53","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T14:51:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/?p=66657"},"modified":"2025-07-23T15:51:56","modified_gmt":"2025-07-23T14:51:56","slug":"strategy-aims-to-create-brighter-futures-for-young-people-in-devon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.devon.gov.uk\/news\/strategy-aims-to-create-brighter-futures-for-young-people-in-devon\/","title":{"rendered":"Strategy aims to create Brighter Futures for young people in Devon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A new strategy aiming to increase the number of young people in education, employment or training has been endorsed by our Cabinet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Councillors backed the \u201cBrighter Futures \u2013 Employment, Education and Training Strategy\u201d which not only sets out a long-term vision to tackle the levels of young people Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) but also looks to address the root causes of disengagement of young people aged 16-25.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cabinet also recognised the ambition of the strategy for care leavers and requested a progress report and delivery plan be brought to the Cabinet meeting in October.<\/p>\n\n\n

\r\n\t
\r\n

Councillor Julian Brazil, County Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Children\u2019s Services – Education, said: <\/p><\/div>\r\n \t\t

 <\/p>\n

\u201cWe need to be ambitious but realistic as well. The number of care leavers that are NEET is unacceptable and we need to bring those numbers down. Not being in education, employment or training between the ages of 16 and 25 can result in a lifetime of reduced opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking with partners is central to what we want to deliver and with the support of those partners we need to move at pace and have a laser-focus on care leavers. We want to ensure better prospects for all young people in Devon, but with a particular focus on those facing vulnerabilities, in order to lay the foundations for a more inclusive and resilient local economy.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\r\n\t<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\n\t
\r\n\t\t\"Councillor\r\n
\r\n Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of the Council<\/a><\/figcaption>\r\n <\/figure>\r\n <\/div>\r\n \r\n <\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strategy, covering from 2025-2030, recognises persistent barriers to participation in education, employment and training for specific groups of young people. This includes those who are care-experienced, those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), young carers and children with a social worker, those involved in the youth justice system, young people from minority ethnic backgrounds, and those living in rural or economically disadvantaged areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Devon\u2019s NEET rate stood at 4% last year, which is lower than both the national average (5.4%) and regional average (4.5%), the report before Cabinet highlighted that the figure doesn\u2019t reflect deeper inequalities. It stated that: \u201cvulnerable young people, including those who are care-experienced, have SEND, are involved in the youth justice system, or live in rural or coastal communities, are consistently more likely to disengage from education or employment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly half (48%) of Devon\u2019s care leavers aged 19\u201321 were NEET in 2024, while young people with SEND were over four times more likely to be NEET than their peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strategy also takes into account challenges in Devon such as rural isolation, limited public transport, seasonal employment patterns, and lack of affordable housing, which all contribute towards disadvantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The priorities of the Brighter Futures strategy have been developed in consultation with young people and partners. These priorities include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • early intervention to identify at-risk young people and provide personalised support;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • building inclusive partnerships with employers and strengthening collaboration with agencies and authorities across all relevant services;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • ensuring targeted and persistent support for the most vulnerable young people;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • removing barriers such as transport issues, lack of affordable housing, digital exclusion and financial hardship;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • ensuring that local needs shape local responses to tailor support specific to communities;<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • and establishing robust monitoring systems to re-engage those who don’t participate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Brighter Futures supports the County Council\u2019s corporate parenting duties and reflects the authority\u2019s commitment to treat care experience as a protected characteristic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In line with the strategy\u2019s comprehensive, multi-agency approach to tackling NEET levels in Devon, councillors also supported the establishment of a Steering Group and locality Action Groups to oversee and coordinate implementation of the strategy. These groups will include key stakeholders from education, health, care, careers, Department of Work and Pensions, the voluntary and community sector, and representatives of young people themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The strategy will draw on a range of existing local and national funding such as the Adult Skills Fund, the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and the Devon and Torbay Careers Hub, and resources and expertise from our local department of work and pensions, job centre plus, schools, colleges, employers and our voluntary and community partners.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":54888,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[22,24],"tags":[256,2247,8,857],"class_list":["post-66657","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-economy-and-skills","category-dcc-homepage","tag-business-and-economy","tag-cllr-julian-brazil","tag-education","tag-skills"],"acf":[],"featured_image":{"ID":54888,"title":"employment","alt":"Two 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