Why the local church should care about youth unemployment
There are close to 1 million young people not in work, education or training in the UK1. That’s nearly one in seven 16-24-year-olds – and the number is on the rise.
A mental health crisis, the enduring impact of Covid lockdowns and educational disruption, and a cooling jobs market, mean this young generation is struggling to find and thrive in work. Their untapped potential is bad news not just for themselves, but for society more widely, whose future thinkers, leaders and creatives aren’t flourishing: 44% of young people who are not in work, education or training (NEET) say they think they will fail in life2.
Hidden behind unsettling statistics like this are the experiences of individual young people, who Resurgo have the privilege of supporting through our Spear Programme, run in partnership with churches across the UK. Like Ruqayyah, whose mental health prevented her from leaving her house for a whole year. Or Charlie, who couldn’t afford to buy a bed frame for his mattress. Or John, who was placed in care at the age of nine, later turned to drugs and alcohol, and says he didn’t recognise himself:
“When I was in foster care, I went through some abuse. The person got away with it. I got into drugs and drink, doing cocaine, drinking six times a week. I looked in the mirror and I didn't recognise myself anymore. ... I lost John.
After four years, I thought, “I want to make a change.” I decided enough were [sic] enough. I got clean, I picked up the phone, and luckily a Spear Coach answered.
That first day [on Spear]... were [sic] the start of a brand-new person and brand-new confidence. Before Spear I didn’t do anything. I didn’t see the point... but Spear gave me an experience of meeting new people and actually being happy. It gave me the strength and energy to get a job and do well.
I got offered a two-week trial [at Bridge Conferencing Centre], and then was offered a job. ... Now I’m doing caretaking 40 hours or more a week. I feel like part of the family. It’s such a privilege to be happy. ... At the start of Spear, I had a goal of just being able to treat myself to a meal. I didn't realise how big I could dream. [Now], my dream is to own my own flat.”
Why should the church invest time and money into supporting young people like John, and tackling youth unemployment – when we may feel it should fall within the government's remit?'
Resurgo is founded on the belief that the church has a unique role to play as the “Repairer of Broken Walls and Restorer of Streets with Dwellings” (Isaiah 58v12), and is called to actively participate in the transformation of society by serving those who are most marginalised. Youth unemployment is not merely a government or economic issue, but a justice issue: young people from “disadvantaged backgrounds” are 50% more likely to be NEET (not in education, employment or training) than their better-off peers, even when they achieve similar qualifications3.
Of the 1,169 16–24-year-olds Resurgo supported in 2024, 41% were experiencing a mental health challenge, 33% had lived in care or experienced of social services, and 15% had a physical disability. We serve these young people because, as in Matthew 25, Jesus himself personally identifies with them.
Spear exists to help lift young people out of oppression and into their God-given potential, by coaching them to gain the practical skills and resilient mindset they need to succeed in work. Trainees receive up to six weeks of expert coaching alongside their peers, followed by up to a year of personalised support to help them move into work or education and to thrive! Spear is delivered by 17 local churches across the UK, and counting, all with a view to support young people like John. He completed Spear in Leeds, where it is delivered in partnership with Bridge Community Church.
Steve Reilly, Senior Pastor, shares:
“Our church mission is summed up in the great commandment that Jesus gave us to love God and to love your neighbour. Our neighbours include those who are marginalised and struggling, so reaching out to them is a key part of why we exist. Young people who have been sidelined in life are exactly the people that Jesus would want us to be serving and getting alongside.
Over five years, we’ve seen Spear make a huge difference. More than 400 young people have come through the programme, with 75% in education or employment [after a year]. It’s truly wonderful to see these young people get a second chance, to find real hope, and to grow in confidence as they become the people that God has created them to be.”
Find out more about Resurgo’s Spear Programme and how your church could get involved here.
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- Office for National Statistics
- King’s Trust TK Maxx Youth Index 2025
- Impetus’ Youth Jobs Gap 2019