Next Gen Update - November

PIE's supported work experience programme, Next Gen, is back for its second year, with over 15 work experiences on offer to help young people try new things, meet new people and discover what they're good at.

Quick look - Recent Highlights:

• Engagement and participation: Around eight young people are currently registered and actively engaging with the project.

• Work experience and opportunities: We're developing a portfolio of work experience placements and opportunities to help young people build their skills, gain practical experience and explore potential career pathways.

• Building confidence and skills: Over the past few sessions, the group has explored the work experience menu, spent time getting to know one another and taken part in activities focused on recognising their individual strengths, talents and areas for development.

• Developing self-esteem: Recent sessions have encouraged young people to reflect on what they excel at, identify opportunities for personal growth and recognise that perceived limitations don't have to be barriers to success. Instead, they can be opportunities to learn, develop and make a difference.

• Positive feedback: Feedback from young people has been encouraging, including some lovely comments about their Youth Mentor, Nathan Gonzalez, with one describing him as "the coolest person they've ever met"!

• A message from our Youth Mentor: Nathan shared: "I'm really happy to have spent the past few weeks getting to know the young people and seeing them come out of their shells as they look to develop their skills and gain further experience through work placements."

We're building on the success of last year's pilot, which offered short, supported placements with local VCFSE organisations. It showed just how much our sector has to offer young people taking their first steps towards work - and how even a few hours in a welcoming workplace can make a difference.

From November, young people will be rolling up their sleeves with some brilliant Stockport-based organisations including creative social enterprise Make Good, where they'll be making products and helping run creative workshops. With environmental social enterprise Marbury Edible Gardens, they'll be planting trees, caring for orchards and exploring climate change. And at community organisation Friendly Fridays, they'll be helping run community sessions, welcoming visitors and getting stuck into activities.

There are bigger projects to get involved in too, including helping to organise the PIE Youth Summit, a Speed Networking event connecting young people with employers, and working on a brief from the Community Rail Partnership to create an exhibition celebrating local hero John Axon.

Alongside all this, the group is getting together twice a month, with one-to-one support from a dedicated Youth Mentor. It's all about giving young people the chance to have a go, build confidence, find their strengths and work out what they might want to do next.

NextGen Stockport is PIE’s inclusive work experience pilot programme, designed for young people for whom traditional placements may not be accessible, suitable or realistic. It also helps organisations offer meaningful opportunities in a more flexible and supported way. NextGen is for young people aged 16+ who are not currently in education, employment or training, or are care experienced or unsure of their next step.