Kickstart Scheme gets off to a great start

Shropshire Council has created more than 40 placements for eligible young people this month (February 2021) as part of the Government’s nationwide Kickstart Scheme.

The £2 billion fund is seeking to create high quality six-month work placements for people aged 16-24, who are claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, with their wages funded by the Government for 25 hours per week.

Throughout 2021, the council will create more than 60 placements within the council and its maintained schools, offering a variety of roles including digital skills trainers, administrative officers, handyperson assistants and library officers.

The main aim of the placements is to enable young people to gain new skills, build confidence and flourish in the workplace, gathering transferrable skills so that they are work-ready at the end of the programme. The young people in placements will have access to a full development programme, allowing them to access a variety of training tools to support them in their future careers.

Ed Potter, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children’s services, said:

“We are extremely proud to support this unique initiative to provide opportunities to kickstart the careers of young people, helping them to build on their skills and experience for the future.

“This is even more important now as the pandemic continues to impact on our young people who, through no fault of their own, often find themselves without meaningful employment.

“We’ve made a great start, but there’s still more to do. Over the next few months we’ll be taking on even more young people – it’s a great way to invest in our future.”

To find out more and to apply, people should visit the council’s website: https://www.shropshire.gov.uk/upskill-shropshire/apply-for-kickstart-placements/