The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) and Fenwick are bringing together over 130 charities, businesses, MPs and officials from across the North East to find solutions to the NEETs crisis.

According to the latest government figures, there are nearly one million NEETs in the UK (957,000) this is almost 196,000 higher than in 2019. NEETs are young people who are not in employment, education or training.

In Newcastle and the surrounding North East, there are enough young people out of work to fill St James Park Stadium and then some. According to recent CSJ analysis, there are as many as 64,000 who are NEET, which is just over one in five 16-24 year olds in the region - the highest level of any region in the UK.

The events, hosted in partnership with Fenwick at its Newcastle flagship store, are part of the CSJ's Big Listen series.

In Newcastle, the think tank will be asking two main questions of attendees:

1. Why are young people ending up NEET, and what is stopping them from escaping?
2. What would a better system look like?

The think tank wants to know about educational and employment pathways, welfare incentives and disincentives, the design of employment support schemes, and the barriers faced by employers seeking to recruit young people.

It will discuss reform of the welfare system as it applies to young people, the design and funding of employment support, and the respective roles of government, local authorities, and business.

Former Labour Health Secretary Rt Hon Alan Milburn, who is heading up a government backed independent inquiry, will deliver a video message to open the event.

Mr Milburn will say: "I'm very grateful for the CSJ and Fenwick for hosting this Big Listen event.

"I'm convinced that what we can do here is really construct a coalition across the country particularly in the North East because the NEET rate is amongst the highest in the country.

"There's a moment in time, and I do believe that this is this moment in time, where people no longer believe that what is happening here is tolerable or indeed sustainable. This is a moment for change and we're all going to have a part to play in making that happen."

Other speakers include Leo Fenwick, Lawrence Dallaglio OBE, and Fraser Nelson.

Ahead of the event Leo Fenwick said: “It is a privilege to welcome the Centre for Social Justice to Fenwick Newcastle for The Big Listen. Our commitment to Newcastle and the young people of this region remains incredibly important to us, and we are proud to support conversations and initiatives that can help create lasting positive change.”

Lawrence Dallaglio OBE said: "We are letting down young people across the country. I work with young people every week through RugbyWorks. They are crying out for support.

"We must get a grip on this employment crisis and I hope that this will be another step on the road to a lasting solution."

Ben Gregg, Head of Welfare at the CSJ, said: "The North East has the highest rate of NEETs of any region in the UK. That is a scandal we cannot ignore.

"We cannot fix this crisis from Whitehall alone, and today, we are here to listen. The charities, businesses and young people in this region understand these issues better than anyone, and their insights will shape the solutions we take forward.

"The CSJ is determined to turn what we hear today into real and lasting reform."