LSST Launches Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Initiative to Empower 18–21-Year-Olds in Birmingham

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LSST is proud to announce the launch of its Youth Guarantee Trailblazer Initiative—a bold, Birmingham-based programme set to support 160 young people aged 18–21 from November 2025 to March 2026. The initiative will equip participants with the confidence, skills and connections needed to pursue meaningful employment, specialist training or further study.

The initiative, funded by Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority, forms an integral part of LSST’s wider mission to promote inclusive opportunity and employability for young people, aligning directly with the UK Government’s recently extended £45 million Youth Guarantee Trailblazer scheme, aiming to reach thousands more young people nationwide (Department for Work and Pensions, 2025).

Recent ONS national data shows that for young people aged 18–24, the NEET rate in the UK was around 16.2% in 2024 and as high as 15% for the 18–24 subgroup in April–June 2025.

“Birmingham’s young people have boundless potential and our Youth Guarantee Trailblazer ensures that potential is met with tangible opportunity,” said Mr Ali Jafar Zaidi, LSST’s CEO. “This ambitious initiative offers every participant a pathway to progress.”

Empowering Birmingham’s Next Generation

“It is a tremendous privilege for LSST to be part of the national roll-out of the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer initiative. With over 22 years of experience supporting learners and through our Bootcamp programmes in London, we have developed real expertise in helping adults move into work,” said Matt Garvey, Head of Further Education and Business Development.

“The key to successfully supporting NEETs – particularly young adults – is high-quality, one-to-one support. Within this programme, each coach gets to know the learner personally and creates a bespoke plan to help them achieve positive outcomes. When this is combined with skills in negotiation, self-awareness, conflict management, and digital finance, we can make a real, lasting difference.”

“Through a structured programme of bespoke 1-1 support from a dedicated coach, mentorship, skills development and employer engagement – along with ILM Assured content – LSST will guide Trailblazer participants as they transition confidently from learning to earning.”

   

Key national findings shaping LSST’s Youth Guarantee:

• Young people who are NEET are 80% more likely to have special educational needs or disabilities (Department for Work and Pensions, 2025).
• They are nearly twice as likely to have a health condition and twice as likely to lack formal qualifications (Learning and Work Institute, 2025).
• They are more than twice as likely to come from disadvantaged backgrounds (Youth Futures Foundation, 2025).
• One in four NEET young people now cite long-term or temporary sickness as their primary barrier – up markedly compared to a decade ago (Department for Work and Pensions, 2025).

 

“These statistics highlight precisely why LSST Birmingham’s localised response matters – translating national concern into community-level action,” said Charles Tennant, LSST’s Vice Principal.

“Our Birmingham campus is deeply connected to its community,” added Dr Wendy Wigley, Head of Student Lifecycle & Partnerships Manager. “Through the Youth Guarantee, we’re not just preparing students for work – we’re preparing them for life, leadership and lasting impact.”

Confidence, Coaching and Careers

LSST’s Youth Guarantee prioritises confidence-building – helping participants strengthen their communication, problem-solving and leadership capabilities while gaining real-world exposure. Workshops and mentoring will be delivered in partnership with local employers and LSST alumni.

Participants will receive support in CV writing, interview preparation and sector-specific training in the fields of management, negotiation, self-awareness and business planning, with opportunities spanning Birmingham’s dynamic industries.

Programme Details

Reach and Eligibility LSST aims to support approximately 160 young people from the Birmingham area, aged 18–21, between November 2025 and March 2026. Participants will be Birmingham residents and LSST will collaborate with employers, education providers, apprenticeship providers and other stakeholders.

Support Elements The programme features intensive one-to-one coaching from LSST staff, bespoke action planning, wrap-around support, 72 hours of classroom-based activity and up to 7 weeks of mentoring and employer engagement.

Launch Date and Duration The programme kicks off on 3 November 2025 at LSST’s Birmingham campus with regular cohort intakes. Learners will enjoy three weeks of activity and learning, followed by a further 4 weeks of 1-1 coaching and support. Our Cohort 2 begins on 10 November, Cohort 3 on 1 December and Cohort 4 on 8 December, respectively.

Expected Outcomes The Trailblazer aims to determine good practice in supporting NEET reduction across England. LSST has set the target of achieving 50%+ positive outcomes – such as employment, further study or training.

Funding The programme is free and funded by Birmingham City Council and West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) as part of the national Trailblazer initiative (WMCA, 2025).

Are you or someone you know aged 18–21 (not in work, education or training) and residing in Birmingham and ready to transform ambition into achievement? You are invited to apply now via:

Foteini Meleti, Programme Manager: foteini.meleti@lsst.ac

Matt Garvey, Head of Further Education & Business Development: matthew.garvey@lsst.ac

For additional information or interviews, please direct questions to LSST’s Public Relations Manager via kunal.mehta@lsst.ac.

We hope you enjoyed reading LSST News. Join our vibrant academic community and explore endless opportunities for growth and learning at www.lsst.ac/courses or via admissions@lsst.ac. Discover your path at LSST and embark on a transformative educational journey today. Think Higher. Think LSST.

 

References

Department for Work and Pensions (2025) Thousands more young people to get training and work support as government extends £45 million scheme. GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/thousands-more-young-people-to-get-training-and-work-support-as-government-extends-45m-scheme (Accessed: 6 November 2025).

Office for National Statistics (2025) Young people not in education, employment or training (NEET), August 2025. ONS. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk/employmentandlabourmarket/peoplenotinwork (Accessed: 6 November 2025).

Youth Futures Foundation (2025) Youth Guarantee Trailblazers: What you need to know. Available at: https://youthfuturesfoundation.org/blog/youth-guarantee-trailblazers-what-you-need-to-know/ (Accessed: 3 November 2025).

Learning and Work Institute (2025) NEET Data Briefing, April 2025. Available at: https://learningandwork.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/LW_NEET_data_briefing_April2025.pdf (Accessed: 6 November 2025).

West Midlands Combined Authority (2025) Youth Guarantee Trailblazer. WMCA. Available at: https://www.wmca.org.uk/what-we-do/employment-and-skills/youth-employment-plan/youth-guarantee-trailblazer/ (Accessed: 6 November 2025).