Young people finishing school or college and looking for a job or apprenticeship, young people still at school or college looking for holiday, weekend or evening work to boost their income and give them work experience for their CV, young people who had already left school or college and were working. It is reported that between lockdown in March and the end of May the number of people 24 or younger on Universal Credit stood at 500,000. It may well be higher now. Some may have family behind them to offer support, many may not. What hopes and dreams were dashed? What stresses created? What will be the longer-term impact? We are to hear today plans to focus funding at the needs of young people. Much of the comment afterwards will be on the schemes and the money. But let’s remember the people. Is there anything that we can do to help them?
Lord, amid all the talk of schemes and sums of money, help us to remember the people, their feelings, their needs. Inspire us to do what we can to help them