Youth Guarantee Trailblazer

What is Youth Guarantee?
The Local Authority offer
What to expect
The Voluntary Sector
Why it matters

Creating opportunities. Removing barriers. Supporting care experienced and NEET young people to thrive.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCRCA) Youth Guarantee Trailblazer are one of 8 trailblazer areas testing out innovative targeted support and interventions to reach young people aged 18 to 21 who are care experienced and/or NEET – with the correct support in place these young people can move confidently towards a positive future.

Developed in partnership with local authorities, employers, training providers, colleges, and the voluntary sector, the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer brings together education, employment, skills, and wellbeing support into one clear, coordinated offer.

Our mission is simple: no young person should be left behind.

What is the Youth Guarantee?

The Youth Guarantee is a promise to young people aged 18–21 across the Liverpool City Region. It ensures access to:

  • Meaningful education, training, or employment opportunities
  • High‑quality career information, advice, and guidance
  • Support to develop the confidence, skills, and experience needed for work
  • Help overcoming barriers—whether practical, emotional, or financial
  • Opportunities to shape and influence the services that support them

The Trailblazer phase allows us to test, learn, and build a model that reflects what young people tell us they need most to support them into lifelong meaningful changes.

The Local Authority Offer

Targeted support, rooted in local communities

Each of our six local authorities (Halton, Knowsley, Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens and Wirral) plays a crucial role in delivering the Youth Guarantee on the ground. Their offer is tailored to the needs of local young people while staying aligned to the wider regional vision.

To contact your nearest local authority Youth Guarantee Team choose from one other he following:

What young people can expect from their Local Authority:

1. A Dedicated Youth Hub or Access Point

A single, welcoming place where young people can drop in, meet with advisors, and access support around jobs, training, careers, and wellbeing.

2. Personalised Support Plans

Local advisors work one‑to‑one with young people to understand their goals, strengths, and challenges—creating a tailored plan that develops over time.

3. Local Skills, Training & Employment Pathways

Each authority partners with local colleges, employers, and voluntary organisations to create opportunities that reflect the local labour market, including:

  • Pre‑employment programmes
  • Sector‑specific training
  • Work experience and placements
  • Supported internships and apprenticeships

4. Intensive Support for Young People Facing Barriers

Specialist teams offer additional help for young people who:

  • Are NEET or at risk of becoming NEET
  • Have SEND or additional needs
  • Are care-experienced
  • Require mental health or wellbeing support
  • Face challenges linked to housing, finances, or family circumstances

5. Strong Links with Employers

Local authorities work closely with employers to open doors for young people—ensuring they have real pathways into real jobs. This includes employer‑led workshops, workplace visits, mentoring, and bespoke recruitment support with employer incentive payments to encourage employers to fully explore recruitment utilising the YGT individuals.

6. A Voice in Shaping the Local Offer

Through Youth Advisory Boards (YABs), local young people have direct influence over the services and opportunities available in their area—and their feedback actively shapes improvements. 

To find out more about the Youth Advisory Board CLICK HERE or visit: https://lcrbemore.co.uk/yab/

The Voluntary Sector 

VOLA Community Grants Programme funds local organisations to run projects that support you to build confidence, grow your skills, and take your next steps into a job, course, or training opportunity. These projects are designed with young people in mind and are all about helping you overcome the barriers that might be getting in your way. Each intervention offer helps to promote confidence‑building, skills development, trying out different job sectors, or getting personalised support to understand what pathways are right for you. Vola community grant programme ensures there’s real investment in creating supportive, youth‑focused spaces where you can learn, grow, and move towards a positive future

Working Together for Young People

The success of the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer comes from partnership. LCRCA and each local authority are working hand in hand to:

  • Create consistency of support across the region
  • Share best practice and insight
  • Align local programmes with regional priorities
  • Listen to—and act on—the voices of young people

This collaborative approach means young people can trust that wherever they live in the Liverpool City Region, they will receive high‑quality, person‑centred support.

Why This Matters

The Youth Guarantee is about more than simply finding a job or course. It’s about:

  • Building confidence
  • Developing skills
  • Creating a sense of belonging
  • Opening doors that feel out of reach
  • Helping every young person feel seen, supported, and valued

By investing early and working together, we’re creating a stronger future for our young people—and for the Liverpool City Region as a whole.