He told parliament that every 18 - to 24-year-old, who has been unemployed for one year or more, would be guaranteed an offer or a job or training. Funding will be available for local authorities and voluntary organisations to employ 100,000 young people in "socially useful activity", including social care, with 50,000 more jobs on offer in areas of dense unemployment.
"We are determined to prevent a new generation becoming a lost generation," said Darling.
Meanwhile youth unemployment has risen sharply in the past three months, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics. More than 630,000 18- to 24-year-olds are currently unemployed, up 17,000 from the previous quarter. Youth unemployment is now at its highest rate since 1995.
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