Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they have in place to ensure that the trial of new interventions within the Youth Trailblazers programme does not affect participation levels in existing employment programmes run by the voluntary, community and social enterprise sector which they have evaluated as effective.

The 8 Youth Guarantee Trailblazers, led by Mayoral Strategic Authorities (MSAs) in 7 areas across England, are testing innovative approaches to identify, engage and deliver localised support to young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) or at risk of becoming NEET. To do this effectively, they are working with a range of local partners including third sector organisations, education and training providers and employers to provide a more seamless offer that provides young people with a clear pathway into training or employment opportunities.

As the Trailblazers are locally led, MSAs have tailored their offer to meet the needs and address the barriers of young people in their area. This includes addressing gaps in provision or opportunities where these are identified as well as reducing any duplication of support.

The Department has also commissioned an evaluation to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the Trailblazers in improving employment outcomes. This will be combined with the Trailblazers own local evaluation and management information, to inform the future design of the Youth Guarantee and clarify the role of local areas in supporting young people.