The Andy Taylor Foundation has announced the launch of Foot in the Door Liverpool, an ambitious new training and work experience scheme.

Delivered in partnership with the Liverpool Film Office and the Youth Guarantee Trailblazer scheme, the initiative helps young people who are not in education, employment, or training (NEET) break into the digital media sector.

Launching this Autumn, the seven-week programme will support 12 Liverpool residents aged 18 to 21 through intensive skills training and work experience placements.

Participants will be fully paid and supported by the organisation throughout their time on the scheme.

This community intervention comes at a critical time, as recent figures from the Office for National Statistics show that more than one million young people aged 16 to 24 across the UK are now classed as NEET.

Furthermore, Alan Milburn’s government-commissioned Young People and Work review recently warned that the country risks creating a lost generation unless urgent action is taken.

The national review found that 84% of young people classified as NEET actively want to work or train, which directly challenges the perception that the issue stems from a lack of ambition.

Instead, systemic barriers such as limited professional networks, financial constraints, and a lack of access to meaningful opportunities continue to prevent many talented individuals from getting started.

Foot in the Door Liverpool has been specifically designed to address these professional challenges directly.

The selected candidates will complete three weeks of industry-led training focused on confidence building, communication, teamwork, workplace behaviour, and core digital media skills.

Following this initial block, they will progress to four weeks of paid work experience placements with prominent employers from across the media, creative, and business sectors.

The regional programme is being delivered in partnership with key organisations including Big Egg Films, Hat Trick Productions, LA Productions, Lime Pictures’ L16 Digital, Liverpool Media Academy (LMA), Thrive, and UniTemps.

Industry Leaders Address Statistics Around Youth Unemployment

The initiative is structured to bridge the gap between creative ambition and actual workplace entry requirements.

Lara Taylor, Founder of the Andy Taylor Foundation, said: 

“The statistics around youth unemployment and disengagement should be a wake-up call for all of us.

“We meet talented young people every day who have creativity, ambition and potential, but simply haven’t had the opportunities, networks or support needed to get started.

“Foot in the Door Liverpool is about changing that.

“By combining industry-led training with real workplace experience, we’re helping young people build confidence, develop valuable skills and create meaningful connections that can open doors to future careers.”

Success Stories In Digital Media Training Partnerships

The newly unveiled project builds on the foundation’s successful national model, which has already helped numerous young people secure permanent employment opportunities within leading media organisations.

One former participant, Grace, joined the training scheme after struggling to break into the commercial sector despite years of self-taught content creation and editing experience.

During her initial placement, she successfully secured a permanent role with LADbible, where she remains employed today, having since earned promotions and company-wide recognition for her creative work.

Speaking about her experience, Grace said: 

“Foot In The Door changed my life forever, not only in terms of my career as I’m in a job I dreamt of, but also in my confidence in my own skills and abilities.

“It also helped me meet friends and contacts that will last a lifetime.”

Originally the idea of digital media pioneer Andy Taylor, who was the co-founder of Little Dot Studios, the charity exists to help young people from underrepresented backgrounds access creative opportunities through mentoring, bursaries, and industry connections.

The organisation is currently inviting regional employers, industry partners, and local supporters to get involved in the scheme to help create tangible positions for the next generation of creative talent.

For more information about Foot in the Door Liverpool, or to discuss potential partnership opportunities, interested parties can visit the official Andy Taylor Foundation website here or contact the team directly.

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