A funding package of over £49 million to help young people into employment and in education has been announced by Education Minister Leighton Andrews.

The additional £49 million investment in 2010 will fund education and training places, the Young Person’s Guarantee, extra funding for student finance, the continuation of Pathways to Apprenticeships and the Young Recruits Programmes for another year.

The Minister also announced the creation of a Task and Finish group which will look at the Welsh Assembly Government’s response to youth unemployment, how schemes can be simplified and will identify gaps in provision. The group will report back by the 31st May.

Further information is available on the Welsh Assembly Government website.