Emmanuel Boamah has succeeded in overcoming his own challenges in life to land a rewarding career working with young people in Walsall.

Emmanuel, aged 19, spent three years in the care system and is now working as a Youth Participation Apprentice for Walsall Council.

The opportunity has come as part of a £5m Youth Guarantee Trailblazer region-wide scheme led by the West Midlands Mayor, Richard Parker, to support more young people into jobs.

The scheme will help hundreds of young people, like Emmanuel, aged between 18-21 and who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), by giving them paid work opportunities to develop skills for life.

Emmanuel's apprenticeship involves him working closely with young people at Walsall Council's newly established youth hub provision in the town centre, Our Place. He is supported and coached by trained youth workers to develop his skills, while he helps other young people tackle challenges in their own lives.

Emmanuel, from Bloxwich in Walsall, went into care aged 15 and says he was never sure what he wanted to do in life.

"Being in care doesn't offer much stability so I wanted to create my own," he said.

"The structure of learning in school wasn't quite right for me and alongside working through some mental health challenges I didn't know what I should do when I left.

"Being an apprentice offers me the stability I need. It builds on the strengths I have and gives me the opportunity to help others that might be in a similar position to what I was in.

"I know now what career direction I want to go in. I'm excited and looking forward to supporting others to overcome the challenges they face and get into their dream career.

"My advice to other young people is it's not about the things that go wrong in your life - it's about what you do afterwards. And never waste a conversation, make links - you never know what opportunity might come up."

Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands, met Emmanuel at the launch of the youth trailblazer scheme at Our Place.

The Mayor said: "Together, we're giving young people the skills and opportunities they need to get started in an exciting career and set themselves up for life.

"I want every young person to have the chance to reach their potential and enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career - that's at the heart of my 'Jobs for Everyone' mission.

"Walsall is leading the way with this trailblazer programme. It's by connecting young people like Emmanuel to local jobs and training opportunities in this way that we can change lives for the better."

The West Midlands is one of eight national trailblazer areas, and the Mayor officially launched the scheme at Our Place, where Emmanuel is based.

Supported by the WMCA, Walsall Council is working with local organisations to provide opportunities for young people to engage and access employment opportunities across sectors including creative media, construction, digital, and coaching and mentoring.

Cllr Mark Statham, portfolio holder for Children's, Education and Lifelong Learning at Walsall Council, said: "We're very proud of Emmanuel and what he has achieved by his own merit. His apprenticeship will offer him so many opportunities to develop knowledge and skills that will stay with him for life, and he is also a shining role model and inspiration to many of the young people he will meet in the course of his work. This is a real-life example of why we welcome the trailblazer programme and the pathways it will open for hundreds of local 18-21-year-olds in Walsall."

Youth unemployment is double the national average in some areas of the West Midlands including Walsall, Wolverhampton, and Birmingham, with around 29,000 young people classed as unemployed across the region.

To help tackle the issue, the Mayor recently launched his West Midlands Works Plan, which sets out a bold vision to create 93,000 good quality job opportunities for people over the next ten years.

West Midlands Works is the Mayor's response to the government's Get Britain Working initiative, to support people with health conditions and barriers who want to work, into good jobs and fulfilling careers.

Over the next three years the Mayor will also deliver a guarantee for all young people across the region to be able to access training, education, careers guidance and other forms of support so they can take their first step towards work. This includes work readiness programmes and work preparation lessons at school.

For more about the Mayor's employer pledge visit: Employer Pledge

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More information from the WMCA media team email media@wmca.org.uk

Notes to Editors:

About the West Midlands Combined Authority

Led by the Mayor of the West Midlands, the WMCA brings together 18 local councils to oversee the transfer of powers and funding from Whitehall to the West Midlands.

The WMCA is putting these new powers from government back where they belong, in local hands, bringing the region together to build a healthier, happier, better connected and more prosperous West Midlands.

Billions of pounds are being invested by the WMCA to improve the region's transport network, transform its derelict industrial land into new homes and workplaces, support existing businesses, and help grow the innovative, green industries of the future.

At the heart of this vision is a strong economy that is both green and inclusive, one that supports the region's ambition to be net zero carbon by 2041 and offers everyone the opportunity of a good quality, affordable home and the skills needed for a worthwhile job.

Mayoral priorities

The Mayor has four priority areas of work for the region:

Jobs for everyone - Investing in jobs, skills, training, and apprenticeships, reducing youth unemployment, and ensuring everyone has a job that pays well.

Homes for everyone - Building social and affordable homes and creating vibrant communities so that everyone will have a place to call home.

Growth for everyone - Helping businesses grow, supporting innovation and creativity, and making sure everyone benefits while protecting the environment.

Journeys for everyone - Connecting communities and making travel easier, safer, and more affordable for everyone.