Learning and Work Institute has evaluated the first year of delivery of Full Potential, the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer delivered by Central London Forward. Our evaluation finds promising early progress supporting care experienced young people into education, employment and training.
The programme is delivered across 12 London boroughs and forms part of the nationwide plan to Get Britain Working. It focuses on care experienced young people aged 17–25, who are significantly more likely to be not in education, employment or training (NEET) and to face complex barriers including disrupted education, poor mental health, housing instability and limited support as they move into adulthood. Each borough delivers a locally tailored intervention combining one-to-one support, skills development, employer engagement and paid placements, alongside wraparound support to address wider barriers.
As a Trailblazer, Full Potential provides important learning for future Youth Guarantee delivery in the capital and nationally, particularly on the value of coordinated, place-based approaches and sustained support for young people who are often furthest from the labour market.
Participants report improvements in confidence, motivation and employability skills, highlighting the importance of building foundations for progression as well as securing outcomes. The findings underline the value of relationship-based, trauma-informed approaches, flexible and personalised support, and the role of paid, ring-fenced opportunities in enabling participation.
