Liverpool youth jobs event at PINS: free training and advice 2026

Key Points

• A Your Next Steps event will take place at PINS Social Club, organized by the Liverpool City Council, on Wednesday 23 September 2026. It targets young people in the 18–21 age group who are currently not in education, employment or training (NEET).
• The event is part of the Liverpool Youth Trailblazer (LYT) initiative, which has helped more than 450 young people enter training or employment programs since its launch in September 2025.
• Young people attending the event will receive one-to-one guidance about opportunities available to them in terms of job openings, apprenticeships and training through employability services provided by council staff members and partner organizations.
• A Quiet Hour is being held to make the event more accessible to young people who might need such an atmosphere.
• The Liverpool City Region is one of eight trailblazer areas within the national Youth Guarantee scheme, receiving close to £5 million to develop innovative approaches for getting young people into work.
• Cabinet member Joanne Kennedy welcomed the early success of the initiative and the involvement of local employers and partners.

Liverpool Council (Liverpool standard) September 14, 2026 – It is preparing to host a free Your Next Steps event at PINS Social Club on Duke Street, designed to help 18‑ to 21‑year‑olds who are not in education, employment or training (NEET) move into work, apprenticeships or further learning. The drop‑in session on Wednesday 23 September 2026 will offer young people, as well as their parents or carers, the chance to speak directly to council employment support staff and partner agencies about available opportunities and how to access them.

As reported by Liverpool Express, the event is part of the ongoing Liverpool Youth Trailblazer (LYT) initiative, which has already engaged more than 450 young people since it began in September 2025, helping them build skills and confidence and move into further training or longer‑term employment. The council has said registration is encouraged to manage numbers, and a Quiet Hour session is also being scheduled to make the event more accessible for those who may find a standard drop‑in environment overwhelming.

Who can attend the Your Next Steps event at PINS?

The Your Next Steps session is open to anyone aged 18 to 21 who is currently NEET and living in Liverpool. The council has indicated that parents and carers are also welcome to attend alongside young people, so families can get a clear picture of the support available and how to help with next steps. Event listings show both a standard session and a designated Quiet Hour at PINS Social Club on the same day, signalling an effort to cater for different needs and preferences among attendees.

What support will young people receive at the PINS event?

At the PINS Social Club event, young people will be able to access one‑to‑one guidance on employment options, apprenticeships, training courses and other forms of employability support. The Liverpool Youth Trailblazer programme works with a range of partners to deliver pre‑employment mentoring, confidence‑building activities and in‑work support for those with additional needs. Organisations previously involved in the LYT offer have included Catch 22, Merseyside Youth Association and The Big Trust for mentoring; Be Free Campaign, Sound City Liverpool and The King’s Trust for sports and creative engagement; and Blackburne House for in‑work support for trailblazers with additional needs.

Employers have also been engaged through the programme, with No Place Productions running hands‑on training to help businesses understand how to recruit and retain young people who may face barriers to entering the labour market. Council officers have said the Your Next Steps event is intended to act as a direct access point where young people can meet the team, learn about these partner services and begin to map out individual pathways into work or training.

How does the Liverpool Youth Trailblazer programme work?

The Liverpool Youth Trailblazer (LYT) scheme was launched to provide targeted support for young people in the city who are at risk of long‑term disengagement from education and employment. Since its start in September 2025, the programme has worked with more than 450 “trailblazers”, offering a mix of mentoring, skills development and employer engagement to help them move into further training or sustained work. The approach is built around a partnership model, bringing together the council, local employers and specialist youth and employability organisations to address barriers such as lack of confidence, limited work experience or additional support needs.

Drop‑in events at venues such as PINS Social Club form one element of the offer, providing informal settings where young people can access advice without the pressure of a formal office environment. The council has also maintained an online route for those unable to attend in person, with a form on its website allowing young people to request information about LYT support and with a dedicated email address for employers wishing to offer opportunities to participants.

What is the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer status and funding?

The Liverpool City Region has been designated as one of only eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazer areas in England, a status that comes with access to additional funding and flexibility to test new approaches to youth employment. Just under £5 million has been allocated to the region to devise and trial innovative ideas aimed at moving young people into meaningful employment, with a particular focus on those who have struggled to engage with mainstream services. The trailblazer designation is intended to allow local authorities and partners to experiment with different models of support, then share learning that could inform national policy on youth employment and skills.

Joanne Kennedy, Liverpool City Council’s Cabinet Member for Employment, Educational Attainment and Skills, has highlighted the significance of this status, noting that the early success of the LYT programme helped secure government approval for a second phase. She has credited the involvement of employers and partner organisations as central to the programme’s impact so far.

What have council leaders and partners said about the initiative?

As reported by Liverpool Express, Joanne Kennedy said:

“The success that the council’s Youth Trailblazer team has had in just six months is truly impressive. The fact that we have been able to engage with over 450 young people and move them into or closer to employment is a fantastic achievement, making not only a massive difference to the young person and their family but also to the wider city.”

She added:

“And there’s more to come! This success has led to the second phase of the Liverpool Youth Trailblazer receiving the greenlight and we’re excited to work with even more young people. None of this success would have happened without our partners and employers whose commitment to supporting our young people has been second to none.”

Kennedy also promoted the upcoming Your Next Steps event at PINS Social Club as a practical opportunity for young people to meet the team, partners and employers and find out how they can help. “Also, if there is a young person in your life who is not in education, employment or training and needs advice or support please let them know – and don’t forget to mention the pizza,” she said, referencing earlier LYT drop‑ins that combined advice sessions with food and leisure activities to encourage attendance.

How can young people and employers get involved?

Young people who wish to attend the Your Next Steps event on 23 September are being encouraged to register in advance via Eventbrite to help organisers manage capacity at PINS Social Club. Those unable to attend in person can still access information about the Liverpool Youth Trailblazer by completing a form on the council’s website, which allows the team to follow up with tailored advice. Event listings also indicate that a Quiet Hour session is available for those who may prefer a lower‑stimulus environment during their visit.

Employers and organisations that can offer jobs, apprenticeships, work experience or training opportunities are being invited to contact the LYT team directly at youthtrailblazer@liverpool.gov.uk. The council has said it is keen to expand the network of employers willing to take on young people who may need additional support at the start of their careers, and to work with them on retention and progression once participants are in post.

Background to the Liverpool youth employment development

The Your Next Steps event and the wider Liverpool Youth Trailblazer programme sit within a broader push to reduce youth unemployment and improve transitions from education to work in the Liverpool City Region. The area’s designation as a Youth Guarantee Trailblazer reflects national policy efforts to concentrate resources and innovation in selected regions, testing models that could later be scaled across the country. Local officials have framed the initiative as both a social and economic intervention, aiming to improve life chances for young people while also addressing skills gaps for local employers.

Earlier LYT events at PINS Social Club have combined practical employment advice with informal activities such as ten‑pin bowling and free food, in an effort to make engagement feel less intimidating for young people who may have had negative experiences with formal job centres or careers services. The council has reported that more than 450 participants have been supported since the programme began, with many moving into further training or longer‑term roles, a track record that helped secure approval and funding for a second phase of the project.

Prediction: how this development could affect young people in Liverpool

If the Your Next Steps event and the wider Youth Trailblazer programme continue to scale, young people in Liverpool who are currently NEET are likely to see improved access to personalised employment support and a clearer set of pathways into apprenticeships, training and entry‑level roles. The combination of one‑to‑one advice, partner mentoring and direct employer engagement could reduce the time young people spend out of education or work, while also increasing their confidence and readiness for recruitment processes. Over time, this may contribute to lower youth unemployment rates in the city and a larger pool of locally trained workers for key sectors, though the extent of the impact will depend on sustained funding, employer participation and the capacity of partner organisations to meet demand.