We commissioned the Runnymede Trust in partnership with the Work Foundation at Lancaster University to explore the barriers that young people from minoritised ethnic backgrounds – particularly those from Black, Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds – encounter when entering work, and what employers can do to address these.
The place-based qualitative research took place across several of our Connected Futures place-based partnership areas – Leeds, Bradford, Brent and Walsall – and involved conducting interviews, focus groups and participatory workshops with:
Three main themes emerged from these activities: ‘Work readiness’, fair hiring and employment, and giving young people a chance. The report discusses each theme, presenting young people’s stories and local case studies, and draws on the insights to propose potential solutions to these challenges.
‘Work readiness’, and what this means, was a central topic of discussion for participants. While some employers and stakeholders shared concerns about young people’s ‘work readiness’, young people identified several challenges, including a perceived gap between education and employment; disproportionate skills and experience requirements for entry level roles; a lack of support to navigate key transition points; and mental health challenges.
When it comes to fair hiring and employment, young people expressed concerns around local employers not investing in local young people, and around limited feedback on applications. There were also frequent reports of workplace discrimination.
Discussions around giving young people a chance focused on reimagining how employers run their recruitment processes in ways that are inclusive and recognise potential, and looking holistically at the main actors in the system to ensure that they can provide consistent and joined-up support for young people.
Suggested solutions to these challenges include fostering greater collaboration between schools, local employers and community sector organisations to connect learning to local opportunities; expanding careers support; and updating recruitment policies and approaches to make them more youth-friendly and embed anti-discrimination principles.
Check out more of what we’ve acheived with Connected Futures: place-based change
Connected Futures: place-based change
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