New door of opportunity or the start of a bleak future?

Today will be a life changing day for hundreds and thousands of girls across the country. For many it will open new doors of opportunity, A-levels, training courses and their first taste of employment. But for some it will signal the beginning of a bleak future.

Thousands of girls leave education every year without any formal qualifications. While league tables focus on those at the top, those at the bottom are often allowed to slip away unnoticed. Once out of education girls can find it almost impossible to get back in.

The debate about young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) tends to focus on young men but in fact latest figures show not only that there are more young women aged 16 to 24 not in education, employment or training but their numbers are growing much faster. Sometimes this is as a result of the choices they have made, but usually it is the effect of a system that has failed them.

In our experience while young men are acting out and attracting media attention, many girls are quietly disengaging from schools without attracting media attention, often due to dealing with difficult situations like family trouble or bullying. Today most of those young women will walk away from education without anyone trying to stop them and that will probably define them for the rest of their lives.

More girls not in education, employment or training than boys

The Department for Education statistics reveal that the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) is up from last year, with more girls than boys in this category.  

At Platform 51 we know that 16 to 24 year old girls are more likely to be NEET than boys but today's figures show that the rift between them is growing at devastating speeds - 50,000 more girls have been put into this category between the first and second quarter of 2011 while the numbers for boys grew by 3,000.

At Platform 51 we work with many girls and women who are NEET and we know that while young men are acting out and attracting media attention many girls are quietly disengaging from schools, often due to dealing with difficult situations like family trouble or bullying. Without support and teaching that recognises their needs, these girls are stuck with no way back into education or no way forward without it.

Download the statistics from the Department for Education website.

Find out more about what Platform 51 does for girls who have disengaged from school by downloading our Education, employment and skills theme sheet.

More not in employment, education or training

The Government has released the latest figures for young peole not in education, employment or training.

Rebecca Gill, director of policy at Platform 51, said:

"The current rise in youth unemployment and the number of 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in education, employment or training, so-called 'NEET', is very worrying. It will disproportionately affect girls who are more likely to be without work or not in education, and who tend to be employed in services seeing the greatest cuts.

"We welcome the government's commitment to provide 75,000 additional apprenticeships to try and address the current crisis. Almost one million young people now face the prospect of no education or employment, and with almost 20% of 16- to 24- year-old girls without work or not in education or training, we are very concerned that the most disadvantaged girls and women are likely to be left behind.

"Many of the girls we work with are forced out of education and training by systems that don't meet their needs. They tell us that single-sex environments and flexible timetables are crucial in helping them fulfil their potential. We call on the government to review the services for women aged 16 to 24 and unlock women's talents which could benefit the UK economy by up to £23 billion every year."

Low pay commission releases 2009 report

The Low Pay Commission is calling for apprentices to receive a national minimum wage in its 2009 report, published last week. However this will be at a lower rate than for other workers.

They have recommended the Government ask them to look into an appropriate minimum wage rate for apprentices in next year's report. The Government will respond to their recommendations in the summer.

YWCA's Parliamentary officer Helen Berresford said: "If the Government does accept the recommendation it really is great progress and a fantastic step for the More than one rung campaign and us.

The Commission's report also asked for small increases to the current national minimum wage for all workers and for the age at which people receive the adult rate to be lowered from 22-years-old to 21. Both of these recommendations have been accepted. The national minimum wage will rise by 7 pence per hour in October 2009. However the age at which employees receive the adult rate will not change until October 2010.

Helen Berresford said: "We campaigned to get rid of youth rates altogether however, this small change is still a win and welcomed."

James Anthony, UNISON national executive council member said on behalf of national minimum wage campaigners: "Against the backdrop of recession, when we need to be putting more money into the pockets of the low-paid, it is a surprisingly low increase.

"We are pleased that the government has responded positively to the LPC call for the adult rate to start from age 21. However, this small move actually highlights the continuing discrimination by age, preserved in the national minimum wage, which is again exempted from the provisions of the Equality Bill.

"Our message to the government is: we want and need more bold action to raise the level and end the injustices in the national minimum wage. We believe our campaign has played an important role in challenging the proposed zero increase, in winning the change in start of the adult age band, and the proposed inclusion of apprentices. Our campaign continues."

YWCA is part of the campaign to end age discrimination in the national minimum wage.