A government funded scheme giving 275 long term unemployed young people access to paid work placements will transform their lives, according to Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands.
The Mayor has made tackling youth unemployment a top priority and is putting unprecedented funding into training and apprenticeships across the region to prepare thousands of young people for the world of work.
He is fully in step with the government, which has launched its Jobs Guarantee to offer a direct route into paid work for all young people aged 18-24 who have been out of work and claiming Universal Credit for 18 months.
The Jobs Guarantee has initially launched in six pilot areas with some of the highest levels of youth unemployment, including Birmingham and Solihull, where it is being delivered by Catch22 on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
It will now be rolled out nationally to create over 90,000 fully funded jobs by 2029.
The Mayor said: “Young people have been ignored for too long, which is why tackling youth unemployment is a top priority for me. We are equipping young people with the skills and training opportunities they need to launch their careers.
“The Youth Guarantee adds to our efforts by helping long-term unemployed people, who might previously have been written off, to get their working lives started. It's great news that the scheme will soon expand to help even more people across our region secure that all-important first job.
“Making the most of our young talent will not only improve their lives, but drive the growing economy we need to deliver prosperity for all.”
In the West Midlands pilot, Catch22 is supporting 275 young people into fully subsidised six-month work placements with local employers.
Working closely with Jobcentre Plus, young people will be referred directly into the programme and receive one-to-one support before being matched with an employer. Dedicated support is provided throughout the six-month placement.
For employers the scheme offers a chance to fill vacancies quickly, with funding to cover up to 25 hours a week and specialist support from Catch22.
Catch22 is delivering the pilot in partnership with Supplytrain CIC, who bring extensive experience of employer engagement from the Kickstart programme, and West Midlands employment charity Sport 4 Life UK, strengthening local delivery and routes into work. Further assistance has been provided by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) and local councils.
Andy Canniford, chief officer for impact and growth at Catch22, added: "Far too many young people face barriers when trying to secure long-term employment, and the longer someone remains out of work, the more challenging it can become to build a successful career. At Catch22, we believe in ambitious futures for young people.
“In delivering DWP's Jobs Guarantee programme we are investing in young people's potential through by combining paid employment with personalised support, helping participants gain the skills, experience and self-belief needed to succeed in today's workplace.”
For further information on the Youth Guarantee visit the DWP website.
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