Employers Youth Employment Charter Consultation Report

Amongst the eighty-three commitments contained in Pathways to Work 2021-2025 was Commitment 62: “Re-launching and promoting the Employer Youth Employment Charter with a target of signing-up 300 employers.” In September, 2014 the Tánaiste and Social Protection Minister Joan Burton launched the previous document, entitled the Employment and Youth Activation Charter. On May 28th, 2024 Minister Heather Humphreys and Minister Peter Burke launched the new Charter, now called the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter. The new Charter “will support new pathways to employment among young people”; and calls on “employers to provide work experience opportunities for young people and people from disadvantaged groups”. In preparation for the new Charter, the Department of Social Protection (DSP) asked the INOU to consult with young unemployed people about what they would like to see in such a document, what would be helpful for them to find a good job. Six focus groups were run and this report documents the discussions that took place, and what the participants would like to see in a charter / statement from employers about employing young people