Youth charity The King’s Trust (formerly The Prince’s Trust) has launched its 50th anniversary social impact report, supported by long-standing partner TK Maxx – 50 Years of Working for Young People.
The report finds The Trust’s programmes have contributed at least £110 million of value to society in Belfast in the last ten years alone. It is published as almost 950,000 young people in the UK are out of work, education and training and reveals widespread anxiety among 16-25-year-olds about their job security and future careers.
The King’s Trust’s Legacy in Northern Ireland
Through its support for young people across the UK over the last ten years, The King’s Trust has generated £3.9bn of value to society. The report assesses the value of supporting young people into work and self-employment, and the savings made to the public purse when young people achieve their potential in education, earn a wage and gain financial independence. Key findings include:
- In Belfast £110 million in social value has come from improving the outcomes for young people who have participated in King’s Trust programmes.
- This includes £43 million of economic output from supporting young people into employment, self-employment and volunteering and £23 million from increases in wellbeing.
- Of which, £49 million is attributable to the increase in young people’s earnings as a result of taking part in a Trust programme.
- For every 10,000 new young people supported, The Trust could bring £105 million worth of societal benefits.
Young People Today in Northern Ireland
The report also publishes findings from a YouGov survey conducted on behalf of The King’s Trust of 4,097 16-25-year-olds across the UK.
It finds that in Northern Ireland, 76 per cent of young people wish they were not starting their careers in the current economic climate. The majority of young people say the state of the economy makes them anxious about their future career (77 per cent) and worry there will not be enough jobs for people like them (75 per cent). Over a two fifths (45 per cent) say they have to take any job to make ends meet.
The research, carried out with support from TK Maxx, highlights that alongside economic uncertainty, over half (57 per cent) of young people are worried about the impact of artificial intelligence on their future job security.
Mark Dougan, Director of Delivery for Northern Ireland at The King’s Trust says: “When The King’s Trust first began, it was responding to a generation of young people growing up with uncertainty about their futures. Today, the world may look very different, shaped by new technologies and changing industries, but for many young people that underlying fear has not gone away. Too many feel locked out of opportunities and unsure whether a secure future is really within their reach.
“This research gives voice to those concerns. It shows how deeply anxious young people are about work and what lies ahead, particularly those already facing the toughest barriers. By standing alongside young people now, helping them build skills, belief and resilience, we can open doors, break cycles of disadvantage and help the next generation of young people in Northern Ireland to thrive.”
This report shows that most young people in Northern Ireland feel unequipped for the changing world of work and an increasingly competitive job market. Over half (57 per cent) say they felt unprepared for how competitive the jobs market would be after leaving education, and a similar number (56 per cent) believe most entry level jobs available to young people are insecure. A quarter of young people say they do not have the right qualifications (26 per cent) or work experience (27 per cent) for the career they want.
The report suggests these worries are having a damaging impact on young people’s wellbeing and aspirations for the future, particularly for those facing adversity. A quarter (25 per cent) of local young people feel they are going to fail in life.
Natalie, 22 from Ballyclare, has experienced many struggles with her mental and physical health which have impacted her home life and her education. Isolated and unable to find work after leaving college, she struggled to see a future for herself.
“My school days were tough. I was bullied for 10 years which greatly impacted my self-esteem and physical health. It also contributed to me developing social anxiety – even placing my order in a fast-food restaurant was completely overwhelming and I was worried about being judged.
“After leaving college, I had hoped things would get easier but I applied to over 50 jobs in eight months without a positive outcome. I felt as though my health problems were seen as a burden by employers. It was frustrating as I was putting so much effort into getting a job but no one would give me a chance.”
When her Work Coach mentioned The King’s Trust Get into Retail programme with TK Maxx, Natalie was curious.
“I was extremely nervous on the taster day and dreaded walking into a room full of young people but the atmosphere in The King’s Trust centre put me at ease – everyone was accepting and non-judgmental. As part of the programme, we did a work placement in a TK Maxx store and the staff accommodated all my support needs. It made me realise that people aren’t always critical and scary.”
“Since finishing the programme, my life has completely turned around. I was offered a part-time contract at TK Maxx and am loving it! … For now, I am very happy growing my confidence and skills and working towards fulfilling my dreams.”
Jo Murphy, European CR and Sustainability Director, TK Maxx says: “Over twelve years of working alongside The King’s Trust, we have witnessed, first hand, young people begin to believe in themselves and take that significant first step into employment or further study.
“Through our partnership, more than 14,000 young people have been reached across established programmes such as Achieve and Get into. As found in the report, an estimated £96 million of social value is attributed to our TK Maxx and Homesense partnership; the data is robust and persuasive, yet the measure that matters is a young person gaining confidence and a start in work or learning.
“As one of many partners, we are grateful to contribute in practical and meaningful ways. This partnership remains important to us because we believe every young person deserves the chance to build a secure and confident future.”
Mark Dougan says: “As we celebrate 50 years having supported over a million young people to build a better future, The King’s Trust remains more determined than ever in our vision of ending youth unemployment, tackling inequality and ultimately, ensuring every young person has the chance to build a secure and fulfilling future.”
The research highlights young people in Northern Ireland remain determined and hopeful for a better future. Almost three quarters (74 per cent) think they are capable of achieving their dreams. The majority of young people said they would like more opportunities to access training opportunities (84 per cent) and 60 per cent said they would benefit from having a mentor or coach to help guide their career.
The King’s Trust, formerly The Prince’s Trust, has helped 1.3 million young people during the past 50 years to build the confidence and skills they need to move into work. Last year, 67,000 young people benefitted from Trust programmes, with three in four moving into work, education or training.
The anniversary report, supported by TK Maxx, reflects the strength of long-term partnerships that help young people gain the confidence, skills and experience they need to take their first steps into work.