Our challenge: finding a decent tomorrow for today's young

Published on Tuesday 1 July 2008 10:28

Early action can steer city school-leavers the right way, writes Geraldine Gammell.

THE latest statistics from the city council on the destination of school-leavers, indicating that almost one in six is not in education, employment or training, is obviously deeply disturbing. With a report on developed countries published at the end of last year indicating that one in five of Scotland's young people is not in employment, education or training, this is a situation costing the nation millions a year and a key challenge facing the Scottish Government and local authorities.

Addressing those in this situation will require greater investment in early intervention and alternative learning programmes, individually tailored and targeted at young people most at risk, developing their confidence, motivation and skills to prevent them moving into a life of unemployment and possibly crime.

The Scottish Government's focus on early intervention, preventing young people entering the criminal system, is highlighted in its recently published youth justice framework. Youth crime is estimated to cost Scotland 92 million each and every year according to research undertaken by The Prince's Trust in conjunction with the Royal Bank of Scotland, a tremendous drain on the economy and waste of individual human potential. Additional research has also estimated that the cost to the government of a young person not at work, education or training is at least 52,000 over their lifetime, and considerably more for those who drift into crime.

At The Prince's Trust Scotland one aspect of our work is providing practical early intervention programmes for those young people in school most at risk of falling into this category. The key early intervention programme we run for those disengaged from school is our "xlerate with xl programme", targeted at those aged 14-16. This encourages under-achievers, poor attendees or those at risk of exclusion, to make the most of their time at school, boost their motivation and develop skills for the world of work. All taking part in these programmes in Edinburgh – including Queensferry High School, Tynecastle High School, Currie High School and Portobello High School – stay on at school or go into further or higher education, voluntary work, employment or training.

It is clear that by tackling those young people today who have the potential to become the excluded members of our society tomorrow, we can go some way towards preventing many of these young people drifting on to the fringes of society.

And it is partnership working by the private and voluntary sector, with local authorities and the Scottish Government, that is key to addressing this challenge, motivating tens of thousands of disengaged young Scots to enter the world of further education, employment or training.

&#149 Geraldine Gammell is director of The Prince's Trust Scotland