Suffolk County Council commissioned Learning and Work Institute to carry out the evaluation of MyGo, an integrated employment and skills programme designed to tackle youth unemployment in Suffolk, established as part of the Greater Ipswich City Deal.

The final evaluation findings were based on an analysis of management information from November 2014 to September 2017; several waves of qualitative interviews with MyGo participants, staff and employers; and an assessment of the costs and benefits of MyGo compared with ‘business as usual’ support.

The MyGo service aimed to provide more effective support for young people to enable them to make informed decisions about their future and move towards and into sustainable employment. Key elements included:

• Co-location of Jobcentre Plus services with additional employment support in order to provide a personalised and more intensive support offer;
• Working collaboratively with partners to facilitate access to a wide range of support options;
• Offering a range of different pathways towards the labour market, tailored to young people’s needs and aspirations;
• Providing an improved environment for the delivery of employment services to young people.