The Evening Standard has called for politicians from all sides to work together to boost the mental health and life chances of young people in London.
This newspaper urged swift action to address the challenges facing children and teenagers in our city in an open letter to the Government, Labour and London council leaders.
We set out the steps that should be taken to make life better for our young people, from ensuring schoolchildren have access to trained mental health counsellors to boosting the number of businesses that take work experience students.
It comes as part of our Step Up initiative which aims to address the gaps that exist in the life chances of young people from different backgrounds.
More than 7,000 teenagers and their parents joined our Step Up expo last summer, benefiting from potentially life-changing advice to help them navigate today’s complex careers and education landscape.
The unique expo will run again this year, offering thousands more teenagers the chance to get expert advice and information about their education, career and life choices. The letter said: “We believe that by joining forces with the national Government, the official Opposition and local government across London boroughs, we can make a tangible impact on the lives of young people.”
It calls on leaders to address the mental health challenges that young people are now facing — which include the impact of the pandemic, the threat of climate change and the barrage of social media.
It proposes that a comprehensive mental health support system is established in schools, including access to trained counsellors, in-school resources and staff training.
It also calls for a London-wide mental health awareness campaign targeted at young people and special mental health programmes for teenagers not in employment, education or training.
The Standard has already helped hundreds of Londoners to upskill and secure jobs and apprenticeships, thanks to our separate Skill Up Step Up drive.
Now it is calling for changes in work experience, including paid part-time work being recognised through the introduction of a “learner success profile” which will give colleges, universities and employers a full picture of young people’s achievements, rather than just exam results.
We are also advocating for financial literacy and soft-skills education to be integrated into the school curriculum, with a focus on communication skills.
The letter said: “Together, we can create a positive and lasting impact on the lives of our young citizens, securing a brighter and more resilient future for London.”
