'A mountain to climb' Labour is working to address youth jobs crisis, says Kendall

Labour is working to address youth jobs crisis, says Kendall

- Richard Partington

Getting started in the world of work was not easy for Rose Green. Having experienced half a dozen children's homes from the age of 13 while growing up in care in north London, finding a career was the last thing on her mind.

"Having that corporate parenting, it can be difficult," she says. "Sometimes things like completing school, or uni, you're faced with so much trauma that you haven't really got the time to finish all of that.

"You're kind of parenting yourself, raising yourself. But you're a child. You're just cracking on doing what you think you're supposed to do. Even today, I'm still figuring it out."

Despite those challenges, the 26-year-old from Camden has found work as an employment and training officer at the local council. After completing a care leaver internship, she now helps others to overcome the same hurdles.

Green's work will be critical not just for the next generation but for the British economy at large, and for Keir Starmer's government, as Labour promises to fix what experts have called a crisis in youth employment.

Official figures yesterday showed that the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) has leapt by more than a quarter in the past five years to reach almost 1 million.