SkillForce is an education charity working with 10,000 young people throughout 150 schools in Great Britain who are in danger of leaving school without the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in life.

►     Each year 35,000 young people leave school without qualifications. 

►     Those finding work are more likely to be in low paid jobs¹

►     NEET young people are also five times more likely to have a criminal record than other sections of society.²

►     Each NEET young person costs the taxpayer £97,000 over the course of their lifetime, with a total annual cost of £3.65 billion.

Young people who leave school without qualifications are four times more likely to be NEET (Not in Employment, Education or Training) than their peers who have a qualification³.  In particular, the most disadvantaged – those on Free School Meals are prone to becoming NEET. 

Only 9% of those on Free School Meals go into Further Education (FE) whereas 60% of SkillForce graduates go onto FE.

93% of SkillForce graduates gain a recognised qualification.

SkillForce makes positive and permanent change to young peoples’ lives.

¹The Poverty Site, www.poverty.org.uk
²Audit Commission, Against the Odds, July 2010
³University and College Union, February 2010