JD Sports has announced a new package of career support, including online work experience, employability workshops and job interviews at JD (where vacancies allow), to help young people develop work skills, build confidence, and take their first steps into employment.
The support package forms part of JD’s £1 million partnership with BBC Children in Need which aims to tackle youth unemployment by strengthening youth services across the UK. The partnership will support up to 10,000 young people through funding for 50 youth projects and around 90 youth workers across the UK.
In the latest phase of the partnership JD will provide practical training and employment opportunities to young people, including:
- Online work experience: Virtual work experience programme, introducing young people to careers and developing skills across Retail, Merchandising, Buying, Supply Chain, Marketing and Digital.
- CV and interview workshops: Practical sessions designed to help young people develop their employability skills, build confidence and prepare for recruitment processes.
- ‘Meet the Team’ sessions: Interactive sessions where young people hear directly from JD colleagues about their career journeys and day-to-day roles, showcasing the breadth of career opportunities available in retail and making them more accessible.
- Recruitment support: Young people who complete any of the programme’s employability activities will be offered dedicated support to explore career opportunities at JD, including job interviews where suitable vacancies are available.
The commitment comes amid growing concerns over youth unemployment and declining youth services, with 1,200 youth clubs closing since 2010, and the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) reaching 981,000 in June this year. Ahead of the Government’s Milburn Review into barriers to opportunity for young people, the partnership aims to strengthen youth services and improve employment outcomes for today’s young people.
Paul Orange, People, managing director of JD EMEA, said: “Too many young people face barriers when taking their first steps into work, whether that’s a lack of experience, confidence or access to opportunities. As a major employer of young people, we believe we have an important role to play in helping to change that.
“Our partnership with BBC Children in Need is part of a much broader commitment to tackling youth unemployment. By combining support for youth services with practical experience, skills development and greater exposure to the world of work, we want to help more young people see a pathway into work and take that next step towards a career.”
Claire Hoyle, chief executive of BBC Children in Need, said: “We are incredibly proud to be partnering with JD Sports to support youth projects and youth workers in communities across the UK. Giving young people somewhere to go, something to do and someone to talk to sits at the heart of everything we do, and this partnership will help make that a reality for thousands more young people.
“Young people are facing increasing challenges and we know how vital it is that they have access to trusted adults, safe spaces and opportunities for the future. By investing in both youth work and pathways into employment, we can help young people build brighter futures.”
The announcement forms part of a new campaign from JD and BBC Children in Need highlighting the vital role youth clubs and youth workers play in in speaking the language of young people, building their confidence and sense of community, and creating pathways into employment.
New research from the organisations reveals that 80% of young people believe their peers would have nowhere else to go if their local youth club ceased to exist, while nearly three quarters (72%) say youth workers can talk to them about problems they face in ways other adults can’t.
Beyond funding youth services, in response JD and BBC Children in Need have launched The Youth Club Dictionary, with contributions from Oxford University Press. Featuring alternative definitions of words and phrases used within youth clubs, the dictionary highlights how each youth club closure risks cutting off a vital line of communication and support for young people.
The campaign is backed by MOBO-winning rapper and former youth club member DC3, who has released a new music video, ‘My Home’, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Andrea Arnold. Filmed in a youth club and inspired by the language from the dictionary, the music video brings the campaign’s message to life.
The partnership and campaign build on JD’s ongoing investment in early careers and youth employment, including work experience, apprenticeships, school-leaver programmes, internships and graduate opportunities. Through its work with education and community partners, JD is focused on opening up access to employment and providing long-term career pathways across its stores, distribution centres and head office functions.
