Green Party Proposes Guaranteed Jobs for Unemployed Youth

The Green Party has proposed a new policy that would offer a guaranteed two-year job within four months of leaving education or training to unemployed individuals under the age of 24. The announcement was made by co-deputy leader Mothin Ali at the party's conference in Brighton.

Ali stated that approximately one million young people are currently out of work, training, or education, describing them as "bored, desperate and lost." Under the proposed scheme, these individuals would be offered positions in the private sector, with the government subsidizing half of their salaries. Employers participating in the program would be exempt from paying National Insurance contributions but would be required to provide in-job training. The party has not yet specified a budget for the policy but argues it would lead to reduced welfare spending and increased tax revenue from employment.

The Greens plan to initially target areas with the fewest job openings for young people, including Rotherham, Ceredigion, Newcastle-under-Lyme, Broxtowe, and South Staffordshire, with the ultimate goal of a nationwide rollout.

This initiative is presented as a more ambitious alternative to the government's current scheme, which offers subsidized six-month job placements for benefit claimants who have been unemployed for at least 18 months. Ali criticized the government's approach, stating, "Threatening young people with cuts to Universal Credit if they don't accept short-term work placements - that's not a youth strategy." He emphasized that "working class kids should be able to dream. But more than dream, they should have a genuine chance of making those dreams a reality."

The number of individuals aged 16-24 who are not in employment, education, or training has been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic, reaching nearly one million. A forthcoming report on this issue by former Labour minister Alan Milburn is expected later this autumn.

In a separate announcement at the conference, co-deputy leader Rachel Millward proposed bringing Thames Water and South East Water back into public ownership. Millward argued this could be achieved without compensating shareholders, citing issues with water supply and a lack of new reservoirs. She criticized the Prime Minister's approach to water management, deeming his "10-year plan of gentle threats and vague notions of control is not enough." Millward asserted, "We need public ownership now, and we have all the tools we need to make it happen."

South East Water responded by stating their focus on investing £1.9 billion in local infrastructure and resilience over the next five years and their commitment to working with communities to provide the best service. Thames Water has been contacted for comment.