Victoria Head’s wish list for PM Andy Burnham

Prime Minister, congratulations. You arrive in Downing Street with more than a million young people in the UK not in education, employment or training.

The latest ONS figures put the number at 1,012,000, up 89,000 in a year, with 13.5 per cent of all 16 to 24 year olds now NEET.

As Mayor of Greater Manchester you showed you understand this agenda, championing technical education and real pathways into work for young people. Reviews are already under way, including Marc Bolland’s work on youth unemployment. So here is my wish list for your first months in office.

First, shift funding towards prevention. Every young person who becomes NEET costs the state far more in benefits, lost tax revenue and pressure on health and justice services than early intervention ever would. Yet most public money still flows to services that pick up the pieces after problems escalate. Commit to long-term investment in the programmes that stop young people falling behind in the first place.

Second, give charities multi-year funding. Most survive on short-term, annual grant cycles and contracts, which makes it almost impossible to retain skilled staff, innovate or demonstrate long-term impact. Three to five year funding, where appropriate, would transform what the sector delivers for the same money.

Third, reform commissioning. Public procurement remains slow, bureaucratic and tilted towards the largest providers. Value social impact alongside cost, cut the paperwork, and let charities of all sizes compete fairly. Taxpayers get better outcomes and communities get providers who actually know them.

A National Youth Opportunity Fund

Fourth, create a dedicated National Youth Opportunity Fund, backing evidence-based programmes that improve school attendance, attainment, employability and social mobility, with charities as key delivery partners. With the British Chambers of Commerce warning youth unemployment could reach 17.8 per cent by 2027, the case for acting in this Parliament, not the next one, makes itself.

Fifth, treat the voluntary sector as a strategic partner. Charities are not a nice-to-have. They are part of the UK’s social infrastructure and should be involved in policy design, not just contracted to deliver it. The Civil Society Covenant was a promising start from your predecessor. Make it mean something in how money actually moves.

At City Year UK we see every day what happens when young people get consistent, early support: attendance improves, attainment rises and pathways into work open up. We also see what happens when they do not, and NEET numbers at record levels tell that story at national scale.

If we’re serious about improving life chances and economic growth, we need to stop funding failure and start funding prevention. Charities deliver extraordinary value for money, but they need long-term partnerships, not short-term contracts. Investing in young people before they fall behind is one of the smartest economic and social investments any government can make.

Victoria Head

Victoria Head is joining City Year Uk the beginning of August as Chief Executive Officer, bringing more than 25 years of leadership experience across education, employability, skills development, youth services, and social impact.

Throughout her career, Victoria has focused on creating opportunities that enable young people and communities to thrive. She has a strong track record of leading large-scale transformation programmes, securing and managing multi-million-pound contracts, and building strategic partnerships across government, education, and the voluntary sector. Her expertise spans workforce development, social mobility, and systems change, with a consistent focus on improving outcomes for young people.

Prior to joining City Year UK, Victoria was Strategic Director for Learning, Skills and Employability at Catch22, where she led a broad portfolio of programmes spanning education, employability, and social inclusion. She has also held senior leadership roles in national employability and skills organisations, driving innovation, sustainable growth, and high-quality frontline delivery.

Alongside her executive career, Victoria is a Trustee of Changing Lives and a Council Member of UK Year of Service, reflecting her long-standing commitment to strengthening the social impact sector.

As CEO of City Year UK, she is focused on expanding the organisation’s reach and deepening its impact, ensuring more young people are supported to succeed in education, employment, and life.

For more information on how to be involved, please contact Victoria on

vhead@cityyear.org.uk