Called United Futures, it will run initially for 15 months and aims to make it easier for youth organisations and businesses to develop initiatives which support young people in local areas.

Businesses are key members of the community and in these challenging economic times, the need for community-focused support has never been greater. United Futures will promote the variety of ways that businesses can support young people, through work placements, volunteering, mentoring and the donation of products, services, or of course, money. 

Charlotte Hill, Chief Executive of UK Youth, comments, “There are lots of businesses and youth sector organisations that want to work together but simply don’t know how. Through this initiative we hope to create win-win situations and bring communities together in the process.”

With youth unemployment at a record high, young people can benefit enormously from business supported programmes.  Work placements, mentoring and careers advice are just some of the ways business can enable young people to develop key skills needed for employment.

NCB will publish research in the spring which maps current levels of business engagement with the youth sector.  Around this time, BITC will run a regional pilot to trial a new model for bringing businesses and youth sector organisations together.  UK Youth will promote wider national engagement online and face-to-face through a series of events during 2012.

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