Programmes to support young people gain in employment are not new. Many have been subject to extensive research and evaluation.  The main finding is that there are no simple or common solutions to youth unemployment. A range of interventions are required, some work better in certain localities than others, some work better with those closest to the labour market than others, and some may only bring benefits in the very long term. A key consideration in designing interventions is to take account of the local labour market contexts and the prevailing strength of the economy – whether it is in recession or close to recession with little job growth, or whether there is a strong upturn with job growth.

This opening paragraph may suggest that there are too many imponderables. However, there is consistent evidence around three areas:

• the importance of high quality information, advice and guidance
• effective and locally tailored outreach (to engage those furthest from the labour market) and
• high quality engagement with employers, including the offering of some form of short term wage subsidy.

What there is here is a mix of supply-side (young people) and demand-side (employer) interventions coming together at a local level.

These issues are explored in more detail in an evidence review we prepared at the design stage of the Talent Match programme. More details can be found here:  http://www.shu.ac.uk/research/cresr/sites/shu.ac.uk/files/tm-evidence-review.pdf Much of this evidence informed the partnership’s delivery plans.

The evidence also points to some agendas which are best addressed nationally or at least at the level of regions or city-regions. Examples here would include the design of high quality progression routes into vocational education and training or initiatives to generate more jobs, such as from the European Structural and Investment Funds or the Regional Growth Fund.

However, there are also gaps in the evidence and this presents an important opportunity to inform future policies. A case in point is the engagement and involvement of young people aged 18-24 in the design and delivery of programmes. My colleague Nadia Bashir undertook an evidence of this area and whilst she found some evidence of good practice principles, often drawing on the literature on youth work, relatively little is known about what works effectively for engaging 18-24 year olds. This will be the subject of a later evidence review.