In this Future Voices episode, guest host Rosie speaks with Youth Guarantee participants Wilbur and Rebecca and guest Alli Gay from CHI Housing/Chi Homes, a builder, developer, and self-build consultancy owner. Alli describes starting her company about 12 years ago after buying land and building new homes, and explains her non-linear career path from leaving school with few qualifications, failing a business diploma at Filton Tech (now SGS), working in legal and qualifying as a legal exec, moving into HR consultancy, earning a master’s degree, and then entering construction. She discusses how neurodiversity is not yet well understood in construction, the importance of individualised workplace adjustments, and how mentoring like the Youth Guarantee could have helped her. Wilbur and Rebecca share positive mentoring experiences, and Alli advises young people to explore varied careers and calls for closing the gap between education and industry and reducing overemphasis on academia.

00:00 Welcome to Future Voices

00:27 Meet the Guests

01:03 Alli Gay Introduction

01:47 A Nonlinear Career Path

03:58 Neurodiversity in Construction

05:20 Workplace Changes That Help

07:08 Youth Guarantee Mentoring Impact

09:43 Career Advice for Young People

11:18 What Needs to Change Next

12:52 Thanks and Sign Off

13:24 Outro and How to Get Involved

Find out more on our website https://inclusivechange.co.uk/youth-guarantee-podcast

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosie Mai Iredale hosts Future Voices (Inclusive Change and Youth Guarantee), introducing Jackie Watts, Youth Guarantee Coordinator in South Gloucestershire. Jackie explains the Youth Guarantee supports 18–21-year-olds in South Gloucestershire with additional barriers to employment (including unmet needs, neurodiversity, SEN, low confidence) through four weeks of one-to-one mentoring, followed by up to an eight-week phased work placement and post-placement help with CVs, interview skills, and job searching, with referrals to other services if needed. The program partners with around 80 employers and works with the economic development team to secure placements and support employers with training and ongoing assistance. Additional support includes bus passes, online Level 1–2 maths and English tutoring, ACT-trained mentors, small group sessions, work tasters, mock interviews, and resources from Off The Record. Joining is via the Skills Connect website form or emailing jackie.watts@southglos.gov.uk; employers can contact inclusivechange.co.uk/future voices.

00:00 Future Voices Intro

01:07 Meet Jackie Watts

02:32 Youth Guarantee Support

03:39 Work Placements Explained

04:55 Matching Dreams to Experience

06:34 Podcast Promo Break

08:21 Benefits for Employers

09:08 Advice for Parents

09:39 More Support and Resources

12:30 Mock Interviews and Tasters

13:15 How to Join the Program

13:55 Closing Credits

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Rosie Mai Iredale guest-hosts Future Voices (Inclusive Change and Youth Guarantee) and introduces Rebecca (19) and Wilbur (20) from the Youth Guarantee Program in South Gloucestershire, who share experiences of autism, anxiety, panic attacks, bullying, and moving schools before finding supportive alternative education at Pathways. Rebecca describes high masking, panic attacks, and later gaining confidence through performing arts, then struggling in retail work due to the social demands and customer conflict; she explores childcare through local council courses and flexible mentoring. Wilbur describes traumatic schooling, using Pathways’ small, supportive environment to rebuild confidence, then completing a Level 2 in animal care and struggling through around 100 job applications before joining Youth Guarantee, receiving one-to-one mentor support (including travel planning and free bus travel), completing a security placement, earning licensing/qualification, winning a program award, and gaining paid employment. Both recommend Youth Guarantee as flexible, tailored support that helps young people find work paths that fit.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.