Oxfordshire Youth, a charity dedicated to transforming young people’s lives, promoting community cohesion, and addressing inequality of opportunity, has been awarded £150,000 in funding by Oxfordshire County Council. The grant, distributed as £50,000 annually over three years, will support the charity’s Business Guardians programme, enabling it to expand its reach and engage with more companies across the county.
By 2028, the funding is expected to help the programme reach an additional 500 disadvantaged young people, including care leavers, who are at risk of being excluded from the labour market. Councillor Ben Higgins, Cabinet Member for Future Economy and Innovation, highlighted the growing pressures on young people’s mental health and employment prospects and emphasized the importance of providing equitable access to opportunities that nurture potential.
The grant will allow Oxfordshire Youth to collaborate with employers to tackle youth unemployment through industry-specific workshops, events, work placements, work experience opportunities, and mentorship programmes. Companies already participating include ARC Oxford, Blenheim Palace, BMW Mini, Cleenol, David Lloyd Clubs Oxford, Ebbon Group, Freeths, The Oxford Collection, and Lucy Group. The council will also participate as principal sponsor and strategic partner.
Emmy O’Shaughnessy, Director of Innovation and Growth at Oxfordshire Youth, emphasized that the programme creates coordinated pathways between employers, young people, and the voluntary sector to address the government’s concern that one in eight young people are not in education, employment, or training. She noted that the partnership is grounded in shared values, focusing on providing meaningful careers and actively dismantling inequality.
The Business Guardians programme forms a key part of Oxfordshire Works, the county’s response to the government’s Get Britain Working Plan, and over the next three years, it will continue to unlock employability opportunities for young people facing multiple barriers, providing access to apprenticeships, work placements, employability workshops, and mentorship.
