7:22PM, Thu Jul 19, 2012

Wakey Wakey: Private Companies Paid To Get Unemployed Teens Out Of Bed

By Ruth Holliday Location: North East

Private companies will be paid to help get young unemployed people from the North East out of bed in the morning.

The initiative is part of Nick Clegg's £126m Youth Contract to tackle the record number of England's 16 and 17-year-olds not in education, employment or training - the so-called NEET generation.

Run by Pertemps People Development Group, it will see wake-up calls offered "to help young people develop a routine".

The Deputy Prime Minister has revealed details about the scheme, which will see charities and businesses paid by results and aims to help up to 55,000 youngsters return to college or find jobs.

Organisations can earn up to £2,200 for every child helped, but the full amount will only be paid if a young person is still in full-time education, training or work six months later.

Mr Clegg said: "Young people who have fallen through the net need tailored support to get back on track.

"We can't treat them like round pegs being forced into square holes - if you're young and have got to the point where you feel on the scrapheap, you need extra help to succeed in life.

"Disengaged young people often have complex problems that act as a barrier togetting them learning again, which the Government alone can't deal with.

"But very often local charities and businesses know what's going to help them."

The three-year programme will focus on 16 to 17-year-old Neets with no A* to C GCSEs who are at the highest risk of long-term disengagement.