Approximately 1 in 8 young people are currently not in employment, education or training (Office for National Statistics, 2026), with issues such as lack of skills and experience contributing to high unemployment rates. Activities such as work experience and volunteering allow young people to build skills, confidence and evidence of what they can do (Youth Voice Census, Youth Employment UK, 2026).
Evidence suggests 81% of people who took part in volunteering reported increased community awareness. 65% had improved communication skills and 59% reported an increase in confidence. (CIPD, 2018).
Our employability programmes aim to tackle youth unemployment and enable people to make a positive contribution in their local community. We are proud to have worked with over 100 young people to-date.
Through our programmes we aim to:
- Create meaningful employer experiences for young people
- Boost young people’s confidence in entering the world of work
- Help businesses access local talent
- Provide opportunities for businesses and young people to develop their skills
- Act as a catalyst for social change in the community
The drive to deliver our employability programmes, which are not-for-profit, comes from our founder Natasha’s experience of running youth-led programmes in the UK and abroad. When she was younger Natasha didn’t know what she wanted to do for a job and she has experienced first-hand the challenges young women face entering the world of work. When she worked in Uganda, Natasha was inspired by the young people she met, who had a drive to create change in the world. Striving to be a responsible employer, Natasha has hosted several work placement students and is continually impressed with their talents. Our programmes aim to bring these strands together through mentoring, career insights, and social action.
We deliver two core programmes:
Impact
Our Impact programme aims to prepare young people for the world of work. We work with young people not in employment, education or training, and with students/graduates. Through one-to-one mentoring, skills workshops, and a social action project, participants develop valuable skills for work, gain real-life experience, and make a difference in their local community.
Elevate
Our Elevate programme is a confidence and leadership programme for young women with a health issue (including neurodiversity). Participants develop as leaders through inspirational talks, learn techniques to manage their health, and tackle a community issue through a social action project.
Our co-design group
To make sure our programmes meet the needs of the young people participating, we have formed a group of former participants to support with the design of our programmes. By reviewing materials, testing workshop content, and providing feedback we are able to refine our approach.
Our Journey
Where it started
To address the impact that the pandemic had on youth unemployment, the government invested £2bn into the Kickstart scheme aimed at providing funding for businesses to offer work placements to young people. Impact People & Change was proud to become a registered gateway with Department for Work & Pensions, helping businesses to access the scheme and providing skill development for the young people participating. We are proud to have supported over 10 business in the East Midlands to create meaningful opportunities for nearly 20 young people. This was the catalyst for us to develop the employability programmes we deliver today.
Where it’s going
To reflect our commitment to social impact, we have recently established a charitable arm of our business, Impact Communities CIC. Through this we hope to expand the reach of our social impact programmes, making a difference to many more people through direct delivery and partnerships with larger organisations.
What people say about us
Vishakha, Kickstart placement intern
"My employability skills have developed Massively. I have explored different processes, systems finance management and I have enhanced my employability. This internship has given me the stepping stone into my desired career path"
Roshani, participant on our Impact programme
“I now have confidence in my career goals and where I want to end up. I was given the space to explore options that I hadn't explored before, opening more pathways and taking opportunities as they became available”
J, Participant on our Impact programme
“Raising money for a charity and being part of social action was so fulfilling for me. I have recently looked into how to gain funding to start a social enterprise”
