Today’s young people face becoming a “lost generation” unless the Government develops a COBRA-style response to boost skills and job opportunities, the LGA has warned.
It said this should include appointing a new youth minister to lead efforts to tackle youth unemployment.
An LGA report said the current COVID-19 crisis has turned “a bad situation into a dire one” for young people.
It has urged the Government to use the Spending Review to devolve careers advice, post-16 and skills budgets and powers to local areas.
The LGA is also calling on the Government to work in partnership with councils to deliver the Kickstart Scheme and grant apprenticeship flexibilities to increase the number of young people who can benefit from schemes.
Cllr Kevin Bentley, Chair of the LGA’s People and Places Board, said:
“The unemployment crisis that many of our young people now face has become even more starkly apparent.
“Councils want to ensure every young person realises their full potential. Without action to address our fragmented national employment support system, we risk creating a lost generation of young people.
“Devolving careers advice, post-16 and skills budgets and powers to local areas, would allow councils, schools, colleges and employers to work together to improve provision for young people so that they can get on in life.”