Political opinion with Tom Rutland MP: Opportunities for young people

As a relatively young MP, I am determined that we do more for our young people here in Adur and Worthing to ensure that everyone can thrive.  

Last week, I asked the Prime Minister to back my call for a new youth experience scheme, so that young people across our patch can access the same opportunities available to previous generations before Brexit. I'm glad he agrees that young people deserve to be able to travel, study and work abroad with ease, and that we will be looking again at our relationship with our closest neighbours in Europe. I also asked the Pensions Minister about the work of the Pensions Commission to ensure that young people are able to save enough for a comfortable retirement.  

More broadly, 1 in 8 young people aged 18-24 across the country are not in education, employment or training. This Labour Government is working with partners to provide over 100,000 jobs for young people as part of the Jobs Guarantee for those on Universal Credit, and the Prime Minister has set out his determination to stop a generation from being denied their chance to get on in life.  

I’m pleased that oracy (speaking) will be given equal importance to reading and writing as part of a new curriculum – ensuring more young people are confident in how they present and articulate themselves. My English teacher at school invested a lot of time in helping me to be confident in setting out an oral argument and this was transformative for my life chances. I’m glad that more young people will benefit from this! 

At a hyper local level, I welcomed over 20 work experience students over the summer, to try to give career opportunities to as many local pupils as possible.