00:00Passing your driving test, having that first pint and getting a Saturday job are all key milestones in adolescence.
00:08But one of these in particular has been posing quite a challenge for many.
00:13Young people nationwide are finding it harder and harder to secure work, education or training.
00:20These are known as NEETs.
00:22But a joint operation by Mid Kent College and Job Centre are working to tackle this.
00:27They're an on-site hub offering advice, support and a pipeline to the latest local opportunities.
00:34DWP can't deliver it all, but the work coach will know that actually we're going to book you in, come
00:41sit in a lovely environment.
00:42It's very calming and it's not overwhelming because Chatham Job Centre is such a huge building.
00:49It can be really daunting for some of our customers.
00:53Across the UK, there are 1 million NEETs, with Medway's rate sitting at 1% higher than the South East
01:01average.
01:02Local MP Lauren Edwards has recognised this as an emergency.
01:06I think it's the number one crisis that the government has to be focused on, is how we support those
01:10million young people into good quality work.
01:14That is how we get the welfare bill down, is by supporting people into good work.
01:18Youth hubs like this are absolutely part of the solution because it's all about a one-stop shop for young
01:23people to get the support and the advice that they need so they can make really informed decisions and have
01:29the support that they need to get into work.
01:30And for it to be good quality work as well.
01:33Now anyone can walk through the door and access support at the Medway Skills and Employment Hub.
01:38They'd be sat across from me and a member of the Job Centre team will be able to talk them
01:43through their options and help them with their CV.
01:47Now there weren't actually any young people for me to speak to.
01:50But if you were someone sat here struggling to find work in the five towns, what does the job landscape
01:56actually look like?
01:58Young people are finding it harder to kind of go into workplace, potentially the impact of having COVID and their
02:05opportunities to get out, as well as the way the world's changing, employment is changing.
02:09There aren't the opportunities necessary for the Saturday jobs and actually are people finding they're going to their first job
02:16slightly older.
02:17So over time things are changing.
02:20With the ceremony over and the ribbon cut, there was just one thing left to do.
02:30Ensure this new hub does what it promises and supports Medway's youth as they move into adulthood.
02:37Megan Shaw in Medway.
