Don't tell me our youth is running out

It is pretty widely acknowledged that we have an issue with getting young people to stay, or to come back after they have finished university. The 2011 Census results show that between 2001 and 2011 there was a 6.6% drop in the number of people aged 15-39 in the Outer Hebrides. This is fuelled by a tendency for young people and not come back (apart from for occasional holidays).

And what is the main factor that encourages young people to leave (and not come back)? Jobs.

At the end of August during “Make Young People Your Business Week”, the Leader of the Comhairle wrote a blog post asserting the Comhairle commitment to helping young people into work, and hailing the numbers of participants on the Employability Fund, and working through Modern Apprenticeships and through the Youth Employment Scotland Fund. While these schemes undoubtedly provide valuable opportunities, particularly to school leavers, I feel that more needs to be done to attract graduates back to the islands.

Part of the problem is that many schemes available are aimed at “young people” and somebody, somewhere decided that young people are those aged 16-24. (And that makes me, rather depressingly, not young). But why is 16-24 used for most schemes in the Outer Hebrides when we have an ageing population and a clear need for more young people to stay or return? (One big exception is Princes’ Scottish Youth Business Trust which has recognised that the Outer Hebrides has different needs and has extended the support they provide to include people up to age 30).

Of course there are some schemes aimed at graduates. Adopt an Intern ran a successful Highlands and Islands programme over the last year and the ScotGrad programme (through HIE) provides summer and graduates placements across the Highlands and Islands (although grad placements can only be applied for within one year of graduating). These schemes, and others similar to them, are used pretty effectively by Third Sector organisations and SMEs. However, the Comhairle seems to fall short. They did offer several internships over the summer but they were all short-term and based in Lewis. They need to do more to attract young people back to the islands, and providing more opportunities for graduates, right across the Outer Hebrides, would be a great start.

So what else can be done? Well, lots really, but I will discuss that another day. It is getting late and I need to go and put on some anti-wrinkle cream and try to convince myself that 26 is still young.