.png)
Talent Match
Middlesbrough
Talent Match Middlesbrough was a five-year, young person-led programme that helped young people aged 18-24 overcome complex barriers to employment through personalised support, mentoring and access to new opportunities.
Where?
Middlesbrough
Age Range:
18-24
Funded By:
Big Lottery Fund
About The Project
Talent Match Middlesbrough was a five-year, young person-led programme designed to support unemployed young people aged 18-24 who were facing some of the greatest barriers to employment. Funded by the Big Lottery Fund and led locally by the Prince's Trust, the programme provided flexible, voluntary and personalised support to help young people build confidence, develop skills and progress towards employment.
At the heart of the programme was a team of dedicated Youth Advocates from Actes Trust and The Junction Foundation, who provided long-term one-to-one mentoring and guidance. This person-centred approach helped young people overcome challenges such as low confidence, poor mental health, social isolation, lack of qualifications and limited work experience, enabling them to take positive steps towards their goals.
How We Helped
Built confidence, motivation and self belief.
Developed personalised plans based on individual goals and aspirations.
Helped young people access training, volunteering and work experience opportunities.
Provided support with CVs, job applications and interview preparation.
Connected young people to specialist support for issues such as mental health, housing and finances.
Continued providing support after employment was secured to help sustain positive outcomes.
.png)
Project Partners and Funders
Talent Match Middlesbrough Participant Feedback
Overall Project Impact
453 young people supported
41 apprenticeships started
185 volunteering opportunities accessed
174 young people gained employment
135 young people completed basic skills training
100 young people sustained employment
The Impact of Youth Voice
A defining feature of Talent Match Middlesbrough was its commitment to putting young people at the centre of decision-making. Through the Young People's Panel (YPP), young people helped shape services, influence commissioning decisions and ensure support reflected the real challenges faced by their peers. The independent evaluation identified the YPP as one of the programme's greatest strengths.
One of the most powerful examples of youth voice in action was the creation of the Requesting Adjustments to Claimant Commitment (RACC) Form. Developed by Talent Match young people in partnership with the local DWP, the form enabled young people to explain barriers such as anxiety, mental health challenges, disabilities and housing issues to their Work Coach, helping them access more personalised support and appropriate adjustments.
Reflecting on the programme's approach to youth participation, Adam Jeffrey, CEO of Chimera Consulting, said:
Insights From the Evaluation
Reaching Those Furthest From Employment
Engaging young people experiencing long-term unemployment was one of the standout achievements of our Talent Match delivery. In Middlesbrough, the average length of time a young person was out of work before engaging with Talent Match Middlesbrough was 29.5 months, almost half a year longer than average across the combined five Prince's Trust programmes.
Young People at the Heart of Change
Young people were placed at the heart of programme design and decision-making. The evaluation identified the Young People's Panel as one of the programme's greatest strengths, giving young people a meaningful voice in shaping services, influencing commissioning decisions and improving opportunities for their peers. This approach helped ensure that support was designed around the real experiences and needs of young people in Middlesbrough.
The Power of a Youth Advocacy Model
The independent evaluation found that dedicated one-to-one support helped young people build trust, confidence and motivation, providing a consistent source of guidance throughout their journey. Many participants had experienced multiple barriers to employment, including anxiety, isolation and low self-esteem, and benefitted from personalised support that responded to their individual needs.
The Talent Match evaluation can be downloaded here