A delegation of British policymakers is in the Netherlands today, scrutinising a youth employment programme that boasts a 90% success rate in getting young people into work or education. The Dutch approach, known for its 'no dead ends' philosophy, ensures every participant is offered a job, training, or a combination of both, with no time limits. For UK towns like Grimsby and Rochdale, where youth joblessness runs at three times the national average, this model feels like a lifeline.
The model costs around £1,200 per person per year, cheaper than the UK's existing programmes, which often leave young people cycling between benefits and low-paid gigs. Frank van der Velden, the programme's director, told me: 'We don't see them as unemployed. We see them as people with potential.
We just need the right key to unlock it.' But back home, unions are wary: they fear a 'race to the bottom' on wages if training allowances replace real jobs. The UK government remains non-committal, though a Downing Street source confirmed a 'detailed review' is underway.
For the thousands stuck on waiting lists for the UK's underfunded Youth Hub scheme, the clock is ticking.
