More than 1,000 ‘Mayor’s Mentors’ will be recruited from across the West Midlands business community to boost young people’s career prospects and tackle youth unemployment, as part of an initiative launched today.

The initiative is one of the early programmes set up by the new Mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street. It aims to recruit professionals from a variety of sectors and backgrounds to be matched to young people and serve as mentors.

They will offer support and guidance to young people either starting out in the world of work or setting up their own business. It forms part of the commitment by the Mayor to support entrepreneurship and eradicate youth unemployment within the three years of the first term.

In the West Midlands there are 13,650 people aged 18-24 out of work and not in training, with 1,380 in Dudley, 1,510 in Sandwell, 1,165 in Walsall and 1,525 in Wolverhampton.

As well as helping people to get into the job market, the Mayor’s Mentors programme will help give people who embarked on their careers to improve their chances of success and also offer advice to young entrepreneurs. Andy said:

“One thing I have learned in my career is the value of having a mentor – it’s helped me take important decisions in work and in life. It’s that lesson that is at the heart of the Mayor’s Mentors initiative.

“These mentors will be people who are successful in their careers and who can give a hand up for young people just starting out, in work or those setting up on their own.

“Lots of members of the business community have been saying to me that they want to play their part in tackling youth unemployment, give something back and assist in the ongoing success of the region. Mayor’s Mentors is a great opportunity to do just that.

To sign up as a Mayor’s Mentor, visit www.wmca.org.uk/mayorsmentors