Channelling Motivation: Supporting new pathways for young people

Join us for the launch webinar of Channelling Motivation, a research project focused on how young people from low-income backgrounds can be supported to develop and sustain forms of motivation that will help them to thrive in a rapidly changing world of work.

Motivation is a critical but often overlooked component of attainment, health and happiness, in school, work and wider life. In fact, our research, conducted in partnership with the EY Foundation, has shown that a greater emphasis on motivation could help address the increasing number of young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET).

Building on this pioneering research, we ran a pilot intervention with young people that has shown promising early results. This has led to an emerging new framework for how motivation can improve receptivity for the training inputs and careers guidance that schools, colleges and youth support organisations are providing.

At this webinar, we will present findings on practical actions for policymakers, educators, employers and delivery organisations seeking to improve access to better work for young people.

The webinar will include:

• An overview of the Channelling Motivations research and findings

• A spotlight on the policy recommendations and their implications for careers guidance and employment support.

• Reflections from project partners and contributors, featuring Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, CEO of Stemettes

• Audience Q&A

Speaking about the research:

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE, CEO of Stemettes, said:

“Technology is rapidly changing the world of work, and it is vital that we intentionally construct equitable transitions for young people from school and training into career. This brilliant research sets out a new architecture for these pathways. Also clear from this research is the critical driver of motivation, and it's significant potential to help address the major challenge of supporting young people from low-income backgrounds into good work.”

Helen Hayes MP, Chair of the Education Select Committee, said:

“Many young people who are at risk of becoming NEET have the potential to thrive and are motivated to succeed, but they need support to channel their motivation towards a future of good work. These important reports show why we must look beyond narrow ‘skills fixes’ and recognise the role of motivation, self-belief and agency in helping young people navigate the transition from education into training and employment. A more reflective approach to careers guidance focused on nurturing young people’s motivations and passions would help them to access opportunities that are available - whether that’s training, apprenticeships or further learning and help ensure every young person has a fair chance to succeed.”