The Wise Group and Purpose Coalition have taken their Commission on Breaking Down Barriers to Employment Opportunity to the heart of the House of Commons, launching its first report with dozens of MPs from across the political divide.
MPs and other attendees heard from Wise Group’s inspiring Relational Mentors, who shared the impactful work they do daily to support local communities. Their efforts range from reducing reoffending and helping young people stay on track with education and skills development for employment and apprenticeships, to assisting vulnerable households in tackling fuel poverty. The panel discussed the transformative power of building relationships through face-to-face mentoring, as well as how innovations in digital mentoring are enabling scalable, aligned solutions.
Rt Hon Justine Greening, Chair of the Purpose Coalition said:
“The Wise Group works every single day to lift people out of poverty and build bridges to opportunity for the most vulnerable in our society, and I was delighted to launch the first part of this work in the House of Commons.
By bringing together a range of stakeholders and those with lived experience over the last year, this report sets out practical and sensible recommendations for government to improve employment, tackle fuel poverty, and support those leaving prison. I very much look forward to continuing to work with Sean, Victoria and the whole team on this work.
The Wise Group Chief Executive Sean Duffy said:
“The UK’s employment landscape is facing serious challenges. Post-pandemic effects, rising living costs, and persistent poverty are taking a significant toll. Job vacancies are declining, while long-term sickness and economic inactivity have reached record levels, with 8.68 million people now economically inactive. Vulnerable groups—women, ethnic minorities, young people, older adults, and disabled individuals—are being disproportionately affected. In partnership with The Purpose Coalition, the Wise Group’s Commission to Break Down Barriers to Employment is addressing these critical issues. By focusing on fuel poverty, employability, and offender rehabilitation, we are committed to delivering holistic support and promoting economic empowerment for those most in need”.
Lord Walney, Crossbench Peer and Purpose Coalition Engagement Director said:
“The Wise Group works every single day to lift people out of poverty and build bridges to opportunity for the most vulnerable in our society, and I was delighted to launch the first part of this work in the House of Commons.
By bringing together cross-party MPs with the Wise Group’s colleagues and the people they serve, we can make a real and long-lasting difference. I look forward to continuing to work with them over the coming months and years to come”
The Wise Group’s Engagement and Influence Director Victoria Carson said
“Through targeted, holistic support in areas such as family stability and fuel poverty, we’ve demonstrated the value of focusing on what works, generating significant social returns on relatively modest government investments.
Moving forward, the challenge for employability provision in the UK lies not in increasing spending, but in rethinking how those funds are used, scaling up proven solutions, and working collaboratively to ensure no one is left behind”.
The Wise Group and Purpose Coalition look forward to continuing to work together, with an upcoming focus on Place-Based solutions for vulnerable communities and in particular how wraparound support and guidance for people serving short-term sentences can support their transition from prison to the community, reducing the chances of re-offending.
