EDT partners with Cornwall Council to support disadvantaged young people on Yep! Youth Engagement Programme

The programme will support young people aged 16 to 24 who are unemployed, economically inactive, have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and/or are part of other vulnerable groups, including those who need additional social, emotional, or mental health support. 

Funded through the Shared Prosperity Fund and managed by CSW Group on behalf of Cornwall Council, the Yep! programme is a £2 million investment which began in January this year and will run until March 2025, aiming to support over 1,000 young people in its 15-month lifespan. The programme will be delivered by ten organisations, including EDT, representing a range of voluntary, community, and social enterprise delivery partners across Cornwall. 

The programme supports the council’s wider efforts to support NEET young people, as delivered through their People Hub, and works closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)’s Jobcentre Plus teams across Cornwall to maximise benefits to all. 

On Monday 26th February, we were delighted to celebrate the programme's launch alongside Cornwall Council, the Council of the Isles of Scilly, job centres, community organisations, schools, colleges, the NHS, and employers, as well as  the Lord Lieutenant and Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall.  

Diane Mascot, Partnership Manager at CSW Group, commented:  

"We are delighted to further our partnership with EDT, who are bringing their specialised, one-to-one employment support to young people in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

"Volunteering and work experience are key components to helping young people build the skills and experience needed to start their careers, and we’re looking forward to developing local, relevant employer relationships through EDT and other partners to ensure a personalised approach for all." 

Integrating best practice from previous projects, the programme will have a collaborative, young person-centric approach. When a young person is referred, their situation will be assessed and a programme devised to support their development. For some, this could mean support in a group setting, and for others with significantly reduced confidence, this could mean one-to-one support from a key worker. 

The programme’s primary aim is to develop individual self-confidence, with many of the prospective participants either excluded from components of society or at serious risk of such exclusion. With self-confidence as a baseline, we can then, together with our programme partners, help to develop young people’s life skills and professional skills – all with a focus on building lasting resilience for a more positive future. 

Find out more about the Yep! Youth Engagement Programme.