Young jobseekers need help says National Youth Council

Young people in Westmeath have been disproportionately affected by the economic fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), on July 5, almost a quarter (23%) of the 7,450 Westmeath people receiving the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) were under the age of 25. Nationally, 89,544 (22%) of the 413,039 people in receipt of the PUP are aged between 18 and 25.

The NYCI, which represents organisations working with over 380,000 young people nationwide – has called on the Government to bring forward a package of measures to support young jobseekers with a €191m investment to address the high levels of youth unemployment in the July Jobs Initiative to be announced next week.

“With 1,701 young people under 25 in county Westmeath in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) and at a time when we have 45.4% youth unemployment and over 140,000 young people out of work, it is vital that the July Jobs Initiative focuses heavily on the needs of young jobseekers,” commented James Doorley, NYCI Deputy Director.

NYCI in its submission to Government is calling for an immediate €191m package of measures to support young people to access education, training, apprenticeships and also to incentivise employers to take on young workers.

“NYCI is calling for investment in programmes such as the Back to Education Allowance, SOLAS training programmes, the Youth Employment Support Scheme, a national Access to Apprenticeship Programme and Jobsplus Youth that will support up to 28,000 young people.

“Further investment and actions will be required later this year, in light of the scale of the challenge, but we need to make a start now and give young people some hope and support,” explained Mr Doorley.