Scottish Government challenged over support for Glasgow’s young people during Covid recovery

Glasgow MSP Pauline McNeill asked Deputy First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood about how the Scottish Government’s policies would help young people in Glasgow during the Covid recovery.

She noted that youth unemployment in Glasgow sits at 9% - three times higher than the national average - and said more needed to be done to make sure young people can access good-quality work.

Mr Swinney said the Scottish Government’s work, highlighting the Young Person’s Guarentee in particular, was aimed at achieving this.

He said: “We know that young people across Scotland have had an extremely challenging time during the pandemic, and the Scottish Government is commited to supporting all of our young people as we recover.

“Improving the wellbeing of children and young people is one of the central outcomes in our Covid recovery strategy and together with partners in local government, business and the third sector, we are delivering policies that will help young people including those living in the city of Glasgow.”

He added: “Glasgow’s local employability partnership is also prioritising supporting those furthest in the labour market to achieve a positive destination.”

Ms McNeill noted that those between the ages of 18-24 have been at the ‘sharp end of the pandemic’ and are among those who’ve experienced extended worklessness because of it.

She added: “Young unemployment in Glasgow sits at 9% - that’s almost three times the national average. Young people who return to work are more likely than the average person to be in insecure work and not in a union.

“Does the cabinet secretary agree that more needs to be done to protect those young people in work, given the scandalous stories of poor treatment, not just in Glasgow, but across the country?

“How is the Scottish Government ensuring young people in Glasgow, and, in fact, across the country, can access decent and secure jobs, but with the ability to develop good quality careers.”

Mr Swinney responded: “Fundamentally, I agree with the proposition put forward by Pauline McNeill and I would contend the Government’s agenda is designed to support that. The Young Person’s Guarentee gives the assurance of a good pathway for every young person, no matter how far they are from the labour market.

“In the Covid recovery work the Government is doing, we’re placing specia empahsis on making sure we are able to reach those with the greatest challenges to get into the labour market. The Young Person’s Guarentee provides that flexibility - for some young people accessing further education or individually focused support may be what is required to enable them to overcome obstacles and enter the labour market.”

He raised his discussions with the Glasgow leadership economic group, who he said were “very focused on making sure the tremendous resource base in Glasgow of talented young people, which, if properly nurtured, supported and assisted, can contribute significantly to the city’s economic recovery”.