Movement to Work, a UK charity that has already enabled over 75,000 work placements which have helped reduce youth unemployment, asks businesses to consider all young people for Christmas jobs.

With the UK’s retail and other sectors gearing up for the Christmas rush, Movement to Work is calling on organisations that employ Christmas workers to consider employing long-term unemployed young people so that they can gain great experience and unlock their potential.

Movement to Work is a collaboration of UK employers committed to tackling youth unemployment through provision of high-quality work experience and other work opportunities for young people that are not in education, employment or training (NEET). More than 75,000 work placements have been completed so far across the UK, with over 50% of those young people progressing into jobs, apprenticeships or returning to education.

Christmas is a time when many organisations need a lot of extra help, whether it be customer-facing or otherwise. And there are hundreds of thousands of young people out there who are desperate for work experience but find this difficult without the networks that many of us rely on.

Peter Dowd MP said “Movement to works initiative in tackling youth unemployment is brilliant and one which I welcome. I urge local businesses give young people a Christmas gift this year, by partnering up with Movement to work to give our young people the paid work experience they deserve during the busy Christmas period.”

James Ashall, chief executive of Movement to Work, said: “Everyone deserves a chance to get a good career, but many young people with significant potential, like those we have already seen gain work placements through Movement to Work, are often left behind as they are stuck in a ‘no job, no experience cycle’ and become virtually invisible to those recruiting.

“We are asking imaginative employers to give those young people the gift of paid workplace experience this Christmas when looking for seasonal workers. We want you to give them a start to their career, a start that so many people have enjoyed but for multiple reasons was denied to them.”

Movement to Work is linked to several partner charities working with a range of young people who need work experience that will launch them into the workplace. Organisations across the UK interested in Christmas recruitment should contact one or more of the organisations listed here:

• The Change Foundation, using sport and dance to create transformational change in young people, siledwith@thechangefoundation.org.uk

• Knowledgepool, managed learning service provider, lisa.sweeney@knowledgepool.com

• London Youth, A network of more than 400 community youth organisations across the capital. Supporting 18-24 year olds that are unemployed and not receiving support from statutory services. hello@londonyouth.org (020 7549 8800)

• The Prince’s Trust, empowering young people aged 11 to 30 to get into jobs, education and training, busdev@princes-trust.org.uk (0800 842 842)

• Street Elite, using sport and mentoring to motivate young people at risk of falling out of the education system, siledwith@thechangefoundation.org.uk

Organisations wishing to join Movement to Work and commit to work placements and other job opportunities throughout the rest of the year should contact Movement to Work through info@movementtowork.com.