In Somerset, we are developing an inter-generational approach to support and manage an ageing population. Young people in the county face a number of challenges including limited job prospects, poor internet access and poor public transport. This programme will consider how to address the issues of exclusion, isolation and disadvantage for young people and how to make health and wellbeing sustainable by increasing the take-up of education, training, employment and enterprise opportunities.
As the graph below illustrates, currently there is a huge exodus of young people from the county. This is due a number of different factors including:
- Limited career prospects
- Poor internet access
- Poor and sometimes non-existent public transport
- Cultural Isolation
- Unaffordable housing
The overall aim of the final report and action plan is to develop an integrated health and social care workforce plan for young people in Somerset focusing on:
- Creating a sustainable trainee pipeline at all levels of competency
- Developing a consistent approach and career pathway to health and social care apprenticeships
- Exploring the possibilities of making greater use of further education colleges
- Developing Somerset as a ‘brand’ to attract recruits to entry level roles and to come to Somerset after professional training
Going forward, the BBI team will conduct a number of focus group with young people to better understand their views on these issues and to test some of the findings and proposals in the action plan.
