North East Linciolnshire Lib Dems have welcomed today’s announcement by Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg, that over £570,000 will be given to young people in North East Lincolnshire who are not in employment, education or training (NEET), to start earning or learning again.

As part of Nick Clegg’s Youth Contract, the Coalition Government will, for the first time, target funding through tailored support on a payment-by-results system to 16 and 17-year-olds with no GCSEs at A* – C who are at the highest risk of long-term disengagement.

Les Bonner commented:

“MP’s are doing the right thing in supporting young people in North East Lincolnshire who have had difficulty finding a job or training when they’ve left school.

“The announcement today will ensure they receive personal, targeted support from experts to help develop the confidence and skills needed to stay in education or find a job.

“Youth unemployment is a slow burn social disaster so it’s right that, although money is tight, we prioritise investment in the Youth Contract to get young people earning or learning.”

Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister and Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg said:

“Sitting at home with nothing to do when you’re so young can knock the stuffing out of you for years. It is a tragedy for the young people involved and a ticking time bomb for the economy and our society as a whole. This problem isn’t new, but in the current economic climate we urgently need to step up efforts to ensure some of our most troubled teenagers have the skills, confidence and opportunities to succeed.

“Many of them will have complex problems: truancy, teenage pregnancy, a lack of GCSEs and health problems. So helping them onto their feet will not be without challenges and Government cannot do this alone. But we all have a duty to reach out to the young people who can be hardest to reach. That’s why today I am calling on charities and other organisations at the coal face to work with Government to help tens of thousands of lost teenagers onto a brighter path.”