Purpose

The proposed Youth Employment Pathway programme, delivered in partnership with Procure Plus Holdings (PPH), is a social impact initiative designed to support young people at risk of becoming Not in Education, Employment or Training (NEET) across Greater Manchester. The programme focuses on young people engaged with Alternative Provision (AP) or Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), who often face complex barriers including exclusion from mainstream education, unmet special educational needs, and exposure to poverty, trauma, or contact with the justice system. Through a personalised and voluntary model, the programme works intensively with participants to build aspirations, confidence, and practical pathways into sustained education, employment or training (EET).

The delivery model is centred on tailored, individual support plans developed collaboratively with each young person, their existing education provider, and PPH. This includes coaching, mentoring, and brokerage with employers to align opportunities with the young person’s interests and capabilities, rather than requiring them to fit rigid pathways. Progress is tracked over a minimum 12 month period, measuring not only progression into EET but also improvements in participants’ “hopefulness for the future”, reflecting increased confidence, motivation, and long term aspiration. The programme places strong emphasis on active engagement and sustained participation, ensuring that young people are supported to achieve meaningful and lasting outcomes.

The intended outcomes are both individual and system-wide. For young people, the programme supports transition into sustained employment, apprenticeships or further education, alongside improved self-belief, resilience and future outlook. For the system, it seeks to reduce the flow of young people into long-term NEET status, which is associated with significant ongoing demand for public services, including welfare, justice and health systems. The programme is underpinned by clear performance measures, including NEET to EET transitions and qualitative progress against individual aspirations, with an ambition that the majority of participants achieve sustained positive destinations within 12 months.

The case for grant funding is strongly supported by the programme’s anticipated socio-economic impact and value for money. The cost of delivering the intervention is approximately £5,000 per participant, significantly lower than the estimated £20,000-£30,000 cost associated with a young person progressing through alternative provision into unemployment. Based on a cohort model of 100 young people, the programme is expected to generate substantial public sector savings by reducing demand on welfare and other services, with an estimated return of around £2 saved for every £1 invested in the first year alone. These savings are realised through reduced benefit dependency, improved employment outcomes, and lower long-term demand on statutory services.

Overall, awarding grant funding to Procure Plus will enable the delivery of a targeted, evidence-informed intervention that addresses both the immediate needs of vulnerable young people and the longer-term financial pressures on the public sector. The programme’s combination of personalised support, strong employer links, and outcome-based accountability provides a credible and scalable approach to improving youth employment outcomes across Greater Manchester.

Decision

Safer Stronger Communities grant funding is awarded to ProcurePlus Holdings by GMCA for £31,167 funded by a Safer Stronger Budget line.

The total grant funding will £93,501, with a third funded by GMCA’s Education Work and Skills team and a third funded by Salford City Council who will pay their contribution to GMCA for inclusion in one combined grant agreement. The grant period will be 01/04/2026-31/12/2027.