Business leaders brought together in Burnley to tackle racial disparities in youth employment 

Business in the Community (BITC), in collaboration with Youth Futures Foundation, has today brought senior business leaders together in Burnley to better understand how they can address racial disparities in youth employment – particularly barriers faced by young people from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds. 

Led by Adolfo Hernandez, Chief Executive of Capita plc, the visit was part of BITC’s flagship The King’s Seeing is Believing programme, as well as the Talent Unlocked Partnership between BITC and Youth Futures Foundation, the national What Works centre for youth employment. 

The Talent Unlocked partnership urges and equips employers to make evidence-based change to their policy and practice, breaking down barriers to create pathways for ethnically diverse young people to secure, sustain, and succeed in work, unlocking a generation of talent. 

Burnley is a diverse town, with 14.7% of residents coming from Asian, British Asian, or Asian Welsh backgrounds.^[2] The visit to Burnley comes as data shows that 6.4% of 16–24-year-olds in Lancashire are not, or not known to be, in education, employment, or training (NEET). This is compared to 5.7% in the North West and 5.6% in England.^[3] Furthermore, Burnley is ranked the 4^th highest local authority in the North West regarding the risk of young people being or becoming NEET.^[4] In addition, Burnley has the 11^th highest rate of deprivation of the UK’s 317 local authorities.^[5]  

The visit was attended by senior representatives from organisations including Capita, Burnley FC, Autotrader, PageGroup, Fedcap, Currys, and Sodexo. 

The visit brought business leaders together with young people, particularly those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds, in Burnley to understand their aspirations as well as the barriers they face to accessing and thriving in work. Business leaders also learnt about business interventions that could help to dismantle these barriers, both locally in Burnley and across the UK. During the visit, business leaders visited organisations working to support young people in the community, including:  

Adolfo Hernandez, Chief Executive of Capita plc, said:   

“Today’s Seeing is Believing visit demonstrates how businesses, educational institutions, and community organisations can collaborate to help young people achieve their full potential in the world of work. It was inspiring to see first-hand the efforts of organisations already making a difference by helping young people obtain and sustain good employment. I’m confident that today’s visit will result in effective solutions and positive outcomes that could be applied not only in Burnley but across the country.” 

Barry Fletcher, Chief Executive of Youth Futures Foundation, said: 

“Youth Futures Foundation is proud to be working in partnership with Business in the Community, supporting employers to cultivate workplaces where young people can thrive. Today’s Seeing is Believing visit has been a powerful reminder of why this partnership matters – revealing the systemic barriers still facing many young people, particularly those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi backgrounds, and the practical solutions that can make a difference. Hearing directly from young people about what works for them is essential to driving lasting change. Together, education, community, and business can create the opportunities every young person deserves.” 

Harriet Walker, Director of Membership and Advisory Services at Business in the Community, said:    

“We are delighted to be partnering with Youth Futures Foundation to bring business leaders into Burnley to see the realities facing young people, especially those from Pakistani and Bangladeshi background, trying to get into work. Burnley’s young people have a high risk of becoming NEET, and it is the responsibility of businesses to work in collaboration with schools and other organisations in the community to support these young people to reach their potential and find good work. Today’s visit showcased to business leaders the importance of this support, and how change can be made at pace and scale if business leaders collaborate effectively to address racial disparities in youth employment in Burnley and beyond.”  

The King’s Seeing is Believing programme was established by the then Prince of Wales in 1990. The programme, supported by Salesforce and Linklaters LLP, was born from a simple but powerful belief that the best way to close the gap between the boardroom and the community was to take business leaders out to the communities and, through the power of experiential learning, to inspire and challenge participants. The visits are designed to encourage business leaders to think strategically about the implications for their own businesses and the practical actions that can be taken in response, leading to meaningful and sustained impact for both businesses and communities. To date, over 25,000 business leaders have taken part in the King’s Seeing is Believing programme which has led to various initiatives being set up including Career Ready, Ban the Box and mentoring circles in collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions.     

ENDS

Notes to editor

Photos of the visit are available upon request.  For further information, please contact Polly Dacam, Press Officer, on 020 7566 6638.

References

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