Youth organisations to receive funding from Coca-Cola and UK Youth to create job opportunities for young people

A number of organisations working with young people have been chosen by youth work charity UK Youth to receive funding for a special project, supported by Coca-Cola Europacific Partners.

Building Connections supports youth workers to create stronger pathways to employment for young people. Six new areas – including South-East and West London, Somerset, Wigan, Reading and Swindon – have been chosen for the programme, where youth work partners will build links with small and medium-sized businesses and connect them with young people looking for work. 

Among those taking part are Brentford FC CST, which will be using the fund to develop opportunities and pathways for young people in West London, particularly around work experience, work-readiness skill development and industry insights, as well as to offer opportunities for leadership and networking. The CST is also planning a jobs fair with interactive workshops.

Reena Silva, senior manager – youth and employability at Brentford FC CST, said: “We are excited about the partnership with CCEP. We will be continuing to build our networks with local and regional organisations to allow young people to network and gain professional insights and mentoring. And we hope to be able to work with the professionals at CCEP to be able to offer our young people insights and the opportunity to visit the headquarters and offices, bringing this internationally recognised organisation to the forefront of their experience and building their connections.”

Also taking part is Young Somerset, which engages and supports young people in a range of social, economic, educational and recreational opportunities designed to encourage social inclusion and life­long learning. It supports those with mental health issues through one-to-one and small group work, alternative education for those experiencing challenges accessing mainstream education, and chronic health conditions and helps young people navigate through difficult times in their lives with the aim of building a more confident outlook for the future.

Alex Walker, Young Somerset service manager, said: “This is going to really help us further the work we are doing with our corporate partners, giving young people the opportunity for social mobility and cultural capital in a rural county where opportunities are significantly limited by cuts to services and poor transport infrastructure. We can’t wait to get started.”

Wigan Youth Zone is a charity dedicated to supporting young people aged eight-19 in Wigan and Leigh. Open daily, it provides a range of activities including climbing, football, art, dance, and music, alongside employability support to help young people take their next steps into adult life and outreach-based youth work.

Amy Stark, Wigan Youth Zone senior employability advisor, who will be leading on the project, said: “We are thrilled to be part of the Building Connections employability programme, a fantastic initiative by UK Youth and CCEP. This programme allows us to bridge the gap between employers and young people, fostering valuable connections.”

Also taking part is SMASH Youth Project, of Swindon. SMASH is a small team of professional mentors working to provide safe spaces and practical support for young people. It works with young people to help them to access support, amplify their voice and reach their potential.

Andy Malcolm, SMASH chief executive officer, said: “We’re delighted to be joining the Building Connections partnership with UK Youth. UK Youth continues to lead, innovate and invest in excellent youth work across the UK and it is a delight for us at SMASH to be able to partner with them on the brilliant Building Connections programme, bringing much-valued investment into supporting Swindon’s young people.

“We are incredibly grateful to CCEP for their investment in this opportunity and look forward to working together, along with local colleagues and partners, to improve employability options for Swindon’s young people.”

The six is completed by Sculpt, of Bermondsey, South-East London, and Reading-based Brighter Futures for Children.
Sculpt, of Bermondsey, South-East London, works to “empower young people to shape their own futures”, while Brighter Futures for Children’s vision is “to unlock resources to help every child and young person to have a happy, healthy and successful life”. 

Building Connections has been running for two years and already demonstrated fantastic outcomes for young people. Benefits of the programme include: Increased confidence and awareness of young people to pursue their employment goals; developing youth workers’ confidence and skills in delivering employability support to young people; and connecting youth organisations and local employers, as well as volunteers from CCEP.

Building Connections reaches those most in need of employability support – the majority of young people who take part in the programme are not in employment, education or training, or at risk of becoming so. In March 2024, the Office for National Statistics said an estimated 900,000 young people aged 16-24 were not in education, employment or training.

Youth workers will receive training and support to work with businesses to identify employment opportunities for young people. Volunteers from CCEP will provide ongoing support through mentoring as part of the soft drinks manufacturer’s 2030 commitment to support 500,000 people who face barriers in the labour market to develop their skills and confidence. Through these partnerships, CCEP aims to support the skills and development of 60,000 people facing barriers in the labour market in Great Britain by 2030.

Through Building Connections, Young Somerset aims to further engage young people in one-to-one work focused on career and educational aspirations, as well as having work-based learning opportunities in its café and shop. It will also be working with partners within Somerset’s Chamber of Commerce to provide group learning environments focused on business practicalities, as well as apprenticeships, work based learning, and career opportunities.

Wigan Youth Zone aims to enhance employability for young people aged 16-25 in Wigan, Leigh, and further afield.

Amy said: “As part of this initiative, we plan to hold a careers event, bringing together young people and businesses from Wigan, Leigh, and beyond. Additionally, we aim to deliver more than 250 career and employment-focused interventions for young people in the Wigan and Leigh community.”

SMASH plans to upskill its team “to improve contributions to employability across our organisation as a whole”.

Andy said: “We will be delivering specific mentoring for a good proportion of young people over the summer who are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET, offering them a tailored offer to improve their employability prospects.

“We aim to host a celebration of employability event in the autumn, before working with young people on careers options through the winter to the end of our first year working together.”

 Thora Eberts, UK Youth director of network delivery, said: “Our vision is all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives, but young people have had their job prospects disproportionately affected by the pandemic, followed by the biggest cost-of-living crisis in a generation.

“At UK Youth, we know youth work is the catalyst for change and this project puts youth workers at the heart of bridging the gap between young people looking for work and supporting them as they begin their careers.”

Holly Firmin, CCEP senior community partnerships manager, said: “It’s a sad fact that rising numbers of young people are currently locked out of the job market.

“At CCEP, we’re committed to supporting these individuals who face barriers to employment, who haven’t been given the chance they need, or who need a bit of confidence to feel empowered to take the next step.

“Building Connections aims to champion the power of youth work and unlock opportunities for young people. It demonstrates the power of partnerships and, through continued collaboration with youth work organisations and other businesses, has the potential to change outcomes for young people.”

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 8,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org 

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability, including Hatch. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes