XLP Employability Programme

The Pitch

Problem statement

Young black Londoners are twice as likely to be unemployed as their white counterparts with more than one in three going jobless, Recent Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that a staggering 37.4 per cent of black Londoners aged 16-24 who are economically active are unemployed, compared to 17.5 per cent of whites and 20.6 per cent of Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi youths. XLP engages some of the most at-risk and disadvantaged young people in London who face huge challenges. The disadvantages they face makes them more likely to leave mainstream education without the skills and discipline necessary to achieve and sustain employment.

Solution

XLP Ready to Work Programme will be delivered at our charity offices on London Wall We plan to engage 40 of London’s most vulnerable young people per year; training and preparing them to gain, sustain, and progress in employment. Young people will be engaged in an intensive 6-8 week course, consisting of workshops, 1-2-1 sessions, work experience, volunteering, and job application and interview support. The programme has the following key outcomes: 1. Access further education, training and employment 2. Gain apprenticeships, internships and trainee partnerships 3. Demonstrating significant improvements in multiple relevant areas 4. Taking part in work experience in the City of London.

Why are we best placed to deliver?

XLP now operates in nine inner-city boroughs around London, and the City of London, working with 4,000 young people each year through education, mentoring, employability, community youth work, sports and the arts. We believe in amplifying young voices.We have a number of staff who were young people on our projects, we have a group of young people who help inform our decisions, and we run an apprentice programme to help give employment opportunities for young people. XLP recently won the 'Best Youth Voice' award from The London Community Foundation and we were recently nominated for the London Impact Award for our role in raising the voice of young people.

Focus Areas

Delivery plan

Budget breakdown

Beneficiaries

50 people

Expected impact

XLP works across the social and racial and diversity of London, if successful this funding will help us to work with an additional 50 young people who are struggling daily with issues such as family breakdown, unemployment and educational failure, and living in areas that experience high levels of anti-social behaviour and gang violence. At the end of this programme we expect to 71% of the participants to have completed the course and 74% to be in Employment, ,Education or Training within 12 months of completing the course.

Track record

Through our employability programme, we have worked with hundreds of young people, mostly aged 16 - 18, encouraging them to meet in groups with other aspirational, like-minded individuals, and helping them to develop key employability skills for the years ahead.We have provided opportunities for people to explore job opportunities, internships and educational prospects. We work with corporate partners to give young people the job experience they need to develop a credible CV that lands them a permanent job. On our last programme, we have helped 26 young people into education, employment and training. Four young people are at university, two are attending college, seven are apprentices and two are working.As a team, XLP knows that 2023 will bring its own challenges and opportunities. But no matter what disruption or disappointments come our way, we will keep working with young people to help them make the best futures they can.

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