Co-op is investing £2.4 million in initiatives designed to help young people access green careers, arguing the UK cannot build a greener economy if younger generations cannot see a route into it.
The funding, being shared by Co-op and its charity Co-op Foundation, comes ahead of the final report of the Milburn review this autumn, which is examining solutions to the rising number of young people not in education, employment or training (known as NEETs).
The Co-op Green Opportunities Fund supports organisations creating routes into roles that protect the environment, reduce carbon emissions or contribute to a more sustainable economy.
Research commissioned earlier this year found 59% of young people who had heard the term ‘green job’ could not explain what it meant, while 46% said they had not heard about green jobs during their education.
This is despite 72% of young people saying the transition to a net zero emissions landscape represents an opportunity for their generation, according to Co-op Foundation’s Gen Z(ero) research.
Green jobs: Co-op to invest £2m in boosting sustainability careers pathway
The latest Green Opportunities Report identifies social and financial barriers to accessing green skills and careers. It also highlights what it describes as a “complex green skills funding landscape” offering “piecemeal provision, overlaps and areas of unmet needs”.
The £2.4 million fund is financed through donations from sales of Co-op’s compostable carrier bags, alongside further contributions from Co-op Foundation. Funding is being prioritised for projects that can support social mobility and improve diversity within green industries.
Programmes being supported across the UK will cover areas including energy efficiency and retrofit, electric vehicle mechanics, environmental education, agroecology and sustainable forestry.
Projects range from Oasisplay in London, which is using its youth-led go-kart programme to teach electric vehicle mechanic skills and transform petrol go-karts into e-karts, to Comics Youth CIC in Merseyside, which is developing youth-led comics and digital storytelling to make green careers more visible.
Other initiatives include Touch of Love Outreach’s Green Futures Lab in Aberdeen, which provides practical skills and employer experience, and KRIMMZ’s Green Futures for Girls programme in Bolton, supporting 150 young women from underserved communities.
In Wales, Adra Tai Cyfyngedig will provide green-skills training through its Tŷ Gwyrddfai Decarbonisation Hub, while CAN GROW will use Lislagan Farm in Northern Ireland to help young people with learning disabilities, autism and mental health challenges develop practical green skills.
Heather Thomas, group property & sustainability director at Co-op, said the business wanted to ensure young people could build positive futures regardless of their background.
“Britain can’t build a greener economy if young people can’t see a way into it,” she argued, highlighting that nearly one million 16- to 24-year-olds are currently classified NEET.
“That’s why we’re investing in practical partnerships, yielding opportunities that are accessible, visible and help young people build skills, gain experience and connect with employers.”
Nick Crofts, CEO of Co-op Foundation, said young people from underrepresented communities needed fair access to opportunities created by the transition to net zero.
The Co-op Foundation is also partnering with The MCS Foundation to support Touch of Love Outreach and Adra Tai Cyfyngedig, with each organisation receiving £25,000 towards their programmes.
The Co-op Foundation said the Green Opportunities Fund forms part of its longer-term work to tackle inequalities in the green transition and ensure the UK’s move towards net zero is inclusive and youth-driven.
It continues to welcome interest from organisations and contributors seeking to create green opportunities for young people.
[image credit: Co-op]
