West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin has unveiled an ambitious new plan to tackle youth unemployment across the region, pledging that every young person will be given a meaningful “taste of work” before they turn 18.

The initiative, known as the West Yorkshire Promise, sits at the heart of the region’s new Region of Learning and Creativity Strategy, launched at Bradford College. It brings together employers, educators and public services under a single, coordinated approach designed to ensure that no young person falls through the cracks.