Young people across Tees Valley are to benefit from a major new job and training support programme to unlock their potential and drive forward their careers.   

Tees Valley has been named as the location for one of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers which will see it receive up to £5m in funding to support youth employment. 

The programme will see the area lead the way in providing innovative ways to support people aged 18–21 who are Not in Employment, Education, or Training (NEET).  

Tees Valley will test new ways of supporting young people into employment or training, by bringing together and enhancing existing programmes in partnership with local areas.  

The trailblazers will also collect evidence on how to tackle health related economic inactivity and support young people who are not in education, employment or training. 

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: “We are creating thousands of good quality local jobs for local people and I welcome this trailblazer which will help us support young people in Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool get the skills they need to help them access these opportunities.   

“Good quality jobs are the best way to give people economic security and this is a positive step on this journey.”  

The announcement builds on existing support for young people being delivered by the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority.  

This includes the Tees Valley Careers hub, funding to help boost apprenticeship numbers and working alongside local businesses to deliver training, upskilling and ensure good-quality, well-paid jobs for all. 

The Youth Guarantee Trailblazers were announced by Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Liz Kendall alongside the publication of the UK Government’s Get Britain Working white paper, which sets out plans to tackle inactivity and get people back into the workplace supported by a £240 million investment.