Pioneering Youth Voice Ambassadors Lead Employment Efforts in East Midlands
A pioneering initiative in the East Midlands, the Connected Futures (CF) Partnership, has launched the Youth Voice Ambassador (YVA) programme. This unique scheme, set up in 2023, employs five young people with Learning Disabilities (LD) and/or Autistic Spectrum Conditions (ASC) to lead commissioning efforts aimed at improving employment opportunities. This innovative approach seeks to address the stark employment disparity, with only 1.8% of working-age individuals with LD and/or ASC in the region currently in employment, compared to the national average of 4.8%.
The YVA programme, developed by AAPI Youth Rising, is a testament to the UK Government's 'collaborative commissioning' approach. It empowers young people with LD and/or ASC to actively co-design and contribute to service delivery. This inclusive design process is expected to have a significant impact on the development of services that truly meet the needs of young people with LD and/or ASC.
The CF Partnership, launched in 2022, comprises local government, voluntary organizations, service providers, and employers. Together, they aim to break down employment barriers for young people with LD and/or ASC in the D2N2 region. The YVA programme is a key component of this collaborative effort, demonstrating the partnership's commitment to involving service users in every stage of service development and delivery.
The Youth Voice Ambassador programme, a flagship initiative of the Connected Futures Partnership, is set to transform youth-led commissioning in practice. By involving young people with LD and/or ASC in service design and delivery, the programme seeks to create more inclusive services and drive systems change. With government organizations and practitioners recognizing the value of involving service users, the YVA programme serves as a beacon of best practice, paving the way for improved employment opportunities and better outcomes for young people with LD and/or ASC.
