“Presentation to Oireachtas EU Affairs Committee on Youth Guarantee” James Doorley, Deputy Director NYCI March 21 st 2013

Introduction National Youth Council of Ireland representative body and member of C/V pillar 50 member organisations working in every community in Ireland 40,000 volunteers & 1,400 full time staff equivalents 382,000 young people aged participating in our organisations 53% from economic/socially disadvantaged areas

Data and Numbers 68,361 young people on live register-Feb 2013 Drop from high point of 91,646 on live register June 2010 Long term unemployed risen to 30,815 Oct ,700 under 25s emigrated fall in in labour force 12,800 or - 9.3% No of under 25s in work btw down from 250,000 to 132,000

Most Disadvantaged Levels of youth unemployment 18% among young 3 rd level graduates 39% among those educated to leaving cert 65% among those educated to junior cert 70% among those educated to primary level 4 th highest level of NEETs in EU at 18.4% 7.5m inactive in EU 6.5m inactive in EU 14M = population of 7 Member States

Education and Training Not enough places and opportunities to meet demand of young jobseekers Particularly concerned that most disadvantaged & those most in need “pushed to back of queue” Excellent schemes like Youthreach don’t have capacity to meet demand Concern about quality of some other programmes. Are we spending limited resources well?

Youth Guarantee Strongly welcome Youth Guarantee scheme Support idea that young people who have been unemployed guaranteed NYCI called for examination February 2011 Has great potential but clarity on detail needed 3 key questions ◦ Funding to increase capacity ◦ Quality and Progression ◦ Reaching Supporting the most disadvantaged- hardest to reach

Funding and Capacity Approx cost in Sweden per participant €6,600 For most disadvantaged-low side Hard to estimate cost in Ireland €6bn from EU funds welcome for regions with 25% more unemployment Irish Govt will have to provide matching funds Role for private sector to contribute? Our analysis-lack of capacity at present How can places be delivered-community and voluntary sector have a role to play

Quality and Progression Not about increasing number of places just for sake of it. Avoid churning young people through courses where they end up back to Square1 Nationally led but locally delivered For young ppl & best make use of resources need opportunities that aid progression over long term Concern re “payment by results” model-UK

Reaching most disadvantaged Reaching the most disadvantaged has to be priority-most in need of support 17,000 young people 2 years unemployed Evidence-Sweden/Finland-programme less successful with this group Role for youth sector to support this group-reach, credibility & skills to engage Putting proposal to Govt

Thanks for invitation Happy to answer questions 1_A4_accessible.pdf