New partnership to create opportunities for young people

A new partnership between LJMU and The Hive Youth Zone will create a wide range of education, skills and employment opportunities for young people across Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region.

The university has signed an agreement with the Wirral-based charity, which has been providing transformative experiences and activities for over 19,500 young people since 2017. 

Together, the partners will deliver activity including:

• Placement opportunities for LJMU students, particularly those on sports science, health and youth work programmes
• Internship opportunities at the Hive in areas such as asset management, HR, IT strategy and digital transformation
• Outreach activity to engage with young people and make them aware of pathways into higher education
• Supporting the development of an innovative maritime employability programme targeting young people aged 10–16

This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to helping young people realise their potential and thrive, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Professor Mark Power, Vice-Chancellor at LJMU

The partnership comes at a critical time for young people. Recent Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show that more than one million young people across the UK are now not in education, employment or training (NEET) for the first time since 2013, representing a 2.8 percentage-point increase compared with pre-pandemic levels.

As a charity supporting more than 3,000 young people each year, The Hive sees first-hand the challenges many young people face, with 82% of its members living in some of the most deprived communities in the country. 

This partnership is about raising aspirations, broadening horizons and ensuring that young people across Wirral and the wider Liverpool City Region have access to the opportunities they deserve. 

Jayne Wilson, CEO of The Hive Youth Zone

Raising aspirations and widening access

Through this partnership, The Hive and LJMU will work together to raise aspirations, widen access to education and skills, and create clearer pathways into higher education and employment.

Professor Mark Power, Vice-Chancellor at LJMU, said: “The Hive Youth Zone plays a vital role in supporting and inspiring young people across the Wirral and we are proud to be building this partnership together.

“By combining The Hive’s expertise with LJMU’s strengths in education, skills and employability, and outreach, we can create meaningful opportunities for young people to develop their talents, broaden their ambitions and access new pathways into higher education and employment."

Jayne Wilson, CEO of The Hive Youth Zone, said: “At The Hive, we work with more than 3,000 young people every year, and many of our members face significant barriers to education, employment and opportunity. By working with LJMU, we can help break down those barriers, creating clearer pathways into higher education, skills development and meaningful careers. 

“Together, we can have an even greater impact on the lives of young people and the future prosperity of our region.”