The Conservatives have claimed that 1.1 million young people are not in employment, education or training.

Party Response: Conservative

David Willets, shadow work and pensions secretary said: "The recent debate on top-up fees has distracted our attention from the crisis facing Britain’s young people. The figures are staggering: That is one sixth of Britain’s 6.5 million young people. They are our lost generation.

“Tony Blair talks as if there is no problem of youth unemployment. And yet our problem is so bad, it is worse than Germany’s. The United Kingdom has a youth unemployment rate of 12.3 per cent compared to 10 per cent in Germany.

“We need a fresh approach to help those who are not in education and are let down by the New Deal. We want to reform vocational training. We will also replace the New Deal with a much more flexible approach to getting young people into work. We will be using the voluntary sector and commercial organisations much more than the Government.

“The Government’s ill conceived plans for higher education do not help them. The New Deal does not help them. We will help them.”

Forum Response: The National Youth Agency

Carol Jackson, Young Adult Learners Partnership Development Officer, said: "We intend to get the lost generation connected. Over the next three years, a target of over 9000 young people in England aged 14-25 will be re-engaged into education, employment or training, thanks to an award by the Strategic Grants Committee of the Community Fund.

"The Getting Connected programme, delivered in partnership by The National Youth Agency (The NYA) and NIACE (National Institute of Adult Continuing Education), has received a grant of £350,184 to develop a work programme entitled 'Widening participation and improving practice', over the next three years. The Getting Connected curriculum framework aims to equip individuals with the tools, confidence, techniques and practice to enable them to join in community activities, behave in socially acceptable ways in different settings and build relationships.

"The extended funding will allow the Getting Connected programme increase the take up of education, training and employment opportunities by young people by equipping them with the personal and social skills necessary for productive interaction with others in their communities.

"Getting Connected has had a really positive impact on the young learners involved as helps increase self esteem, confidence, awareness of self and others. This extra funding from the Community Fund will allow us to continue this good work and reach more young people, who otherwise, would not have the opportunity to work, learn or train".

"The project is centred on the emotional development of young people, it has been shown that young people with lower 'emotional literacy' are more likely to be excluded or be disadvantaged in life. This project provides a framework for youth practitioners to develop young people's emotional awareness to enable them to develop skills to manage their lives and relationships."

Forum Response: British Youth Council