Rigby Foundation Commissions CSJ to Host “Big Listen” Event to Understand Barriers Facing Young People in the West Midlands
The Rigby Foundation, Rigby Group’s charitable foundation which is chaired by Steve Rigby, partnered with the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) to host the “Big Listen”, an event held in Birmingham in late April to debate the issues and difficulties affecting children and young people across the West Midlands.
With support from Jess Phillips MP, the event explored barriers facing children and young people (aged 11 to 25) across the region, particularly focused on employment, training, education, skills and well-being. The event was hosted at Millennium Point and included representatives from charities, education, the West Midlands Combined Authority and business.
Key insights from the CSJ’s research were shared at the event, highlighting the scale of the challenges facing young people in the region.
More than a third do not think young people in their local area have the skills to succeed in their first job.
Only 1 in 5 say there are good job opportunities for young people leaving school, compared to 1 in 4 across the UK.
Just under 3 in 10 under 35s say that young people have the skills they need to succeed in their first job, compared to nearly 4 in 10 of those aged 55+.
The West Midlands Big Listen project will be publishing a full report of its findings in the summer. This valuable research will help to identify areas and issues where additional support or funding could make a tangible difference for young people living in the West Midlands.
Steve Rigby, Co-CEO of Rigby Group and Chair of The Rigby Foundation commented: “My family has always believed that success in business goes hand-in-hand with giving back to society. The Rigby Foundation has strong ties to the West Midlands and believes that a renewed focus on young people, education and employability, is the most effective way to improve outcomes for individuals and the region. The findings from the Big Listen event will ensure that funding is best directed to have the biggest positive impact.”
For over 30 years, the Rigby Foundation, founded by Steve’s father Sir Peter Rigby, has supported hundreds of local and national charities, focused on causes close to the communities in which Rigby Group operates and those relating to lifelong learning, health, and education.