Subject: Barriers to engaging young people in employment and volunteering

KnowHow have been at the ACOSVO Annual conference Glasgow.

Whilst at the conference KnowHow heard about Space unlimited management consultants who has a unique approach of using teenage students as management consultants. As part of this approach a group of teenage school students from Motherwell worked with employment services social enterprise the Wise Group who posed the question:

How can the wise group help young people find employment in a recession?

The students findings concluded that young people often feel excluded by the

perceived intimidating and official behaviour from employers in the recruitment process.

The use of words like mandatory and obligatory were disengaging and created barriers to young people applying for roles.

Which raises a interesting questions to be considered.

Do you tailor your recruitment approach and language when trying to engage young people, either as volunteers or permanent staff?

If you have done so, what initiatives did you implement and how did you have adapt your behaviour?