Our commitment to improving the education, training and employment opportunities for young people is fundamental to the work we do.
ARE was set up to improve success rates in education and employment for young people from African, Caribbean, South Asian and Southeast Asian and Mixed heritage backgrounds and we are deeply concerned that they will be further disadvantaged during the social and economic recovery.
ARE has conducted surveys that tell us young people do have high aspirations when they are given the opportunity to explore options with the right level of support and guidance.
Young futures after crisis
Our 2021 Young People survey shows a troubling picture for Black, Asian and Mixed ethnicity young people in the UK.
Most are worried about the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on their future employment opportunities and many are struggling with multiple additional challenges; maintaining their mental health, dealing with racial discrimination, coping with pressure to succeed in the education system.
There are some positives: more young people are confident than not confident that they will have the career they want in the future, and many believe that the Black Lives Matter movement will have a positive impact on their future career opportunities. But the overall message from this survey is that life is currently very difficult for ethnic minority young people.
These are just some of the key reasons we’ve set up a youth panel, thanks to generous funding from the Youth Futures Foundation. We’re committed to listening to young people and taking action on the issues that matter to them.
Visit Routes to Success to find out more about our role model and mentoring work with young people.
