Wales is rolling out its share of a £2.5 billion UK-wide scheme aimed at helping more than 56,000 young people who are not in education, employment or training move into work, with the first placements already under way in south Wales for 18 to 24-year-olds who have spent at least 18 months on Universal Credit while looking for a job.
The launch comes as youth unemployment in Wales has risen sharply. Between 2024 and 2025, unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds increased by 9.5 percentage points, compared with a rise of 1.1 points in Scotland and 1.9 points across the UK.
