Young People: Lost sheep looking for somewhere to go

3 August 2011

Author: Fiona McHardy, The Poverty Alliance

A study into young people in the transition from school to employment, education and training. The Poverty Alliance (Scotland) has published a new study entitled ‘Lost sheep looking for somewhere to go’ looking at the transition of young people from school to employment, further education and training. The study is the result of a research project which took place amongst young people in the Stirling area in 2010 and the report highlights the continued challenges that many young people face in making a successful transition from school. The key findings of the research were: * Young people highlighted the importance of making a secure and stable transition. * A wide range of factors affected whether young people made successful transitions including the provision within schools, support networks and the qualifications of the young person involved. * Getting support that was accessible and tailored to their needs was seen as vital to an effective transition. * Barriers that affected opportunities included financial ones such as low pay and transport costs. * The recession had a key impact on young people, with many perceiving increased competition for jobs and further education as a barrier to accessing opportunities. * Experiences of services accessed for support showed the importance of services being ‘youth-friendly’, particularly for more disengaged young people.

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