Opportunities, accessible with ease.

In 2023, a study by Youth Group revealed that 63% of 18-25-year-olds were unaware of the career advice available to them, with a further 48% feeling restricted in accessing essential career guidance.

The significant percentage of young adults unaware of available career advice highlights gaps in accessibility while rising NEET rates point to a growing disconnect between young adults and pathways to employment or further education.

This indicates that many young adults are struggling to find essential guidance and opportunities, which is crucial for their development and transition into adulthood. Improving post-18 support, particularly in career services and networking, is vital for addressing these challenges.

Our Mission

The YOUTHOOD Project aims to tackle these alarming trends by creating a centralised digital platform that connects young adults nationwide with industry professionals, work experience providers, career mentors, policy input and advice.

Its primary goal is to dismantle the fundamental challenges young adults face today, including rural isolation, financial barriers, academic pressures, and regional inequalities.

With The Katalyst Digital Forum, YOUTHOOD aims to leverage its partnership-driven approach to collaborate with schools, higher education institutions, industry leaders, and employers to create a centralised, easily accessible platform for students.

Designed for use both at home and in school, the platform will empower young adults to explore diverse career paths, gain hands-on experience in various sectors, and network with professionals in a youth-friendly environment.

Through these innovative tools, Katalyst will open up career opportunities, bridging gaps and creating connections that are essential for their future success.

Our Proposed

Platform Features

  • The platform’s main page, designed with a user-friendly interface, will feature tailored, recommended opportunities for young adults across the UK. Organisations will be able to post listings for apprenticeships, skills development courses, work experience programmes, events, and opportunities to participate in surveys or projects. With content loosely personalised to each user’s location and interests, the platform creates a centralised space for young adults to discover and engage with diverse opportunities easily.

  • The platform’s main feature is a dedicated section allowing young adults to explore various organisations that have established Access Networks on the site. By joining an organisation’s Access Network, young adults can gain valuable career support, industry exposure, and networking. While the management of these networks lies with the respective organisations, there is an expectation that they provide a broad range of experiences, including career exploration, mentoring, and interactive discussions.

  • Katalyst will amplify the voices of Experienced Adolescents in policy-making. The platform will feature a dedicated section that allows young adults to engage in Policy Roundtables, including youth panels, conferences, and focus groups hosted by various organisations. This space will empower young adults to actively shape the policies and systems that affect their lives, where their insights and ideas can influence meaningful change. It aims to boost young adults' involvement and build their confidence in sharing their creative thoughts.

  • Katalyst will host a Resource Centre, designed to ensure all young adults can access essential services, information, and guidance. Through the digital space, young adults can find articles on crucial topics that help them navigate the challenges of adolescence and early adulthood. Additionally, it will provide links to external services offering support in areas such as healthcare, education, and wellbeing. By providing comprehensive resources, Katalyst aims to equip young adults with self-care, confidence and resilience.

careers mentoring

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work experience

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skills courses

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youth panels

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all in one accessible space

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careers mentoring | work experience | skills courses | youth panels | all in one accessible space |

Campaign Next Steps

  • As a new charitable campaign, we are actively seeking support and advice on the process of setting up and navigating the establishment of a charitable venture. As I look to grow a core team any guidance—whether regarding legal, operational, or strategic steps—would be greatly appreciated. We warmly welcome insights from experienced professionals, as this will help ensure the campaign is built on strong foundations of which it can kickstart its developmental work.

  • Partnership is crucial for the platform’s success. Not only do we need a diverse range of organisations and opportunities represented on the site, but we also require strong relationships with government-affiliated agencies, youth charities, schools, and colleges to effectively promote the platform to young adults. From a development standpoint, these partnerships will help raise awareness and drive youth engagement, ensuring the platform remains both functional and impactful.

  • The Katalyst Digital Forum comes with significant financial hurdles. While we plan to secure funding through partnerships with nationwide agencies and government departments, alongside introducing a small maintenance fee for organisations on the platform, we recognise the need for expert guidance in setting up a sustainable financial framework. Seeking advice on how to approach fundraising, and financial management is a critical focus of ours, to ensure the platform faces minimal operational challenges.

  • Developing a nationwide digital platform in both website and app form is a new venture for us. While we currently lack coding expertise, we also understand the need for a thorough, multi-step process to ensure the final product is scalable and fit for national use. YOUTHOOD seeks guidance on approaching this development journey, with the aim of connecting with organisations experienced in digital platform creation. Additionally, we’re looking for passionate individuals who align with our vision and can bring their technical skills to help us build a robust and impactful platform.