Young people are being locked out of the labour market, and the people most affected are rarely asked how to fix it. In October 2025, Involve and the New Economics Foundation (NEF) brought together 42 young people across England in three deliberative workshops to do something different: put those with direct experience of the problem at the centre of designing the solutions.
In October 2025, Involve and The New Economics Foundation ran three deliberative workshops, in London, Manchester and online, with a diverse group of 42 young people across England. In these workshops participants shared their lived experiences of trying to enter and progress in the labour market. They identified the key barriers which they experienced and worked together to develop solutions.
The report from these workshops sets out what we found. What young people described was consistent and stark: a set of interlocking barriers that damage confidence, mental health and long-term economic prospects.
Insufficient career pathways and guidance
Participants reported a lack of clear, high-quality careers guidance, particularly in state schools. This meant that they were not aware of career pathways which they could pursue. Careers advice was seen as overly focused on higher education, with insufficient information about apprenticeships, technical routes and vocational careers.
Competitive job market and gaining key experience
Many young people found it very difficult to even get interviews for jobs which were described as entry-level. They were often told this was due to a lack of experience, even where roles were advertised as junior or entry-level. Risk-averse recruitment practices, over-qualification of successful candidates, lengthy application processes with little to no feedback has created a cycle that prevents young people from gaining their first opportunity. Participants described how this had a significant negative impact on their confidence, motivation and mental health.
Low pay and the cost of living
Low wages in entry-level jobs, apprenticeships and training programmes were a major barrier to young people beginning their careers. Due to the cost of living crisis, many participants felt forced to prioritise short-term income over education, training or work experience that could benefit them in the long term. Those from disadvantaged backgrounds were particularly affected, lacking the financial safety nets that allow others to take risks such as unpaid or low-paid opportunities for training or development.
The young people participating in these workshops then developed solutions to help address these barriers.
This is where deliberative approaches do what conventional consultation cannot: rather than asking young people to react to someone else’s ideas, we created conditions for them to develop their own solutions, informed, collaborative and grounded in lived experiences. Those recommendations are detailed in the full report, which can be read here.
What is next?
At Involve, we believe that giving people real power to shape the decisions that affect them, not just consulting them, is how you build policy that actually works. This project is one example of what that looks like.
The New Economics Foundation is using insights from this work to drive policy change, informing how the government approaches young people’s access to the labour market. Their report includes many of the key findings and ideas from this work. Ther continued advocacy will aim to shape future government policy to improve young people's access to the labour market.
If you are interested in finding out more about this work then please contact [email protected].