YOUTH EMPLOYMENT PROVISION RESEARCH
Making Systems Visible: Youth Employability Provision in West London
Young Hammersmith & Fulham has published Making Systems Visible, a new report exploring how young people aged 16–24 experience employability support across West London. Drawing on a mapping exercise of 194 organisations and 261 services, alongside youth focus groups and practitioner insight, the report offers a system-level picture of what support exists, where pressure points sit, and why young people can still struggle to move through the system.
The report finds that West London is not lacking in provision, but that support is not always easy to navigate or connect. Services are often strongest at the point of entry, while progression between programmes, post-education transitions and access for young people facing multiple barriers remain much less clear
Key Findings
Support exists across all seven West London boroughs, but visibility and coordination vary.
The system is stronger at helping young people prepare for work than at supporting longer-term progression.
Young people often face cliff edges after education or at the end of short programmes.
Referral routes, eligibility criteria and cross-borough access are not always clearly communicated.
Trusted relationships, warm handovers and practical one-to-one support make a significant difference.
Young people want real opportunities, including paid routes, not just information or signposting.
This report was commissioned by the West London Alliance and funded by GLA Youth Guarantee Trailblazers to support the development of a more integrated and responsive youth support system. Its recommendations focus on making the system easier to understand and move through, including clearer directories, shared pathway language and better referral practice across boroughs.