Rather than focusing on what young people are not doing, Inspire 2 Ignite believes the conversation should focus on what they could achieve if given the opportunity.
Through The Big Help Out, the organisation is engaging young adults aged 18 to 30 in volunteering opportunities designed to build confidence, develop skills, expand networks and create pathways into employment, education, enterprise and long-term community participation.
Participants who complete four hours of volunteering before 5th June will receive an invitation to The Big Night Out, an event celebrating young people who are stepping forward, getting involved and contributing to their communities.
The campaign comes at a critical moment.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough has recently been designated a Youth Trailblazer area, reflecting growing concern around youth disengagement and the barriers many young people face in accessing meaningful opportunities.
For Inspire 2 Ignite CEO Sam Squire, the challenge is not a lack of ambition among young people.
It is a lack of access.
"We often talk about young people as if they are the problem. They're not," said Squire.
"The reality is that many talented young people are being overlooked and denied opportunities to contribute. We need to stop defining young people by what they are not and start investing in what they could become.”
Inspire 2 Ignite is on a mission to redefine NEET. Instead of 'Not in Education, Employment or Training', we want every young person to be Nurtured, Equipped, Empowered and Thriving.
This work aligns closely with the recommendations emerging from the recent national review into youth opportunity led by Alan Milburn. Something that the young people from the Inspire 2 Ignite community participated in roundtable discussions hosted at the Citizen Hub, helping inform conversations about the barriers facing young people and the practical solutions needed to improve access to opportunity.
The collective belief in the power of volunteering is informed by personal experience from the CEO.
After being released from Cambridge United at 19, he found himself NEET almost overnight. Volunteering in local schools and supporting young people around mental health awareness opened the door to youth work, community engagement and eventually leadership roles focused on tackling issues including knife crime and county lines.
Today, Inspire 2 Ignite has engaged more than 15,000 young people across the region and has set an ambitious goal of helping reduce the NEET rate across the East of England to 3% by 2030.
The organisation believes volunteering can play a significant role in achieving that ambition.
"Volunteering is often underestimated," said Squire.
"It builds confidence. It develops skills. It creates networks. Most importantly, it helps young people see what's possible for themselves.
"Sometimes all it takes is one opportunity, one conversation or one person who believes in you."
Young people interested in taking part in The Big Help Out can find out more at:
