I am calling on local employers to consider offering a Kickstart role to young people in the Grimsby area.
There are currently 21 local employers who have been approved to offer 332 roles to young people aged between 16 and 24 to help them succeed in the jobs market. The Kickstart Scheme works alongside the Care Plus Group’s Employability Service and we are asking for more employers to join the scheme as the demand for roles continues to grow.
The Kickstart Scheme was launched by the DWP last September to help young people who are at risk of long-term unemployment and claiming universal credit. The Government contributes the wage, National Insurance and pension of individuals who are working 25 hours per week. There’s an additional £1,500 per placement available to help with other expenses, such as training, employment support and work uniforms.
Sharon Stead, Business & Innovation Manager at Care Plus Group says: “Care Plus Group are an approved Kickstart Gateway organisation. Employability Services are working with employers to help young people into work and spur Britain’s economic revival”.
“Employability Services are now working with our local Job Centre Plus to recruit to Kickstart vacancies and the response from young people wanting to gain employment has been phenomenal”.
“We have received confirmation from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) that we have agreement for 332 Kickstart vacancies, and we have local businesses from a range of sectors including health, social care, retail, education, hospitality and construction signed up to support Kickstart job placements. Roles include paediatric and adult care workers, teaching assistants, labourers, HR, finance, communication and marketing assistants, estates, project management and recruitment assistants, patient liaison and digital link workers and housekeeping to name a few.
The Employability Services Team have specialised in offering support to local people to gain work experience and sustainable employment via a national award-winning pathway model of employability initiatives for over 12 years, so are well placed to be able to support this initiative.”
The scheme has met with great success with young people in our area so far. Lincoln University graduate Sophie was successful in gaining a Kickstart opportunity within the Care Plus Group working as a Continence Support Worker. Sophie says “The opportunity to work as part of the Kickstart programme has given me the chance to enhance my career prospects by gaining fundamental skills and training! I am really looking forward to working alongside practising professionals and learning from the outstanding practise they already provide, hoping I will be able to contribute to the client’s experience.”
Elsewhere, Adam was successful in gaining a Kickstart opportunity as a retail assistant at the Grimsby Garden Centre. Adam has overcome personal barriers such as dyslexia and has embraced the experience. Adam says “I am so happy I have been give this opportunity, it is very beneficial along with having a positive influence on my work ability. My confidence has also massively improved.”
If you are an employer interested in offering a young person a fully funded six-month Kickstart job placement and require further information then place contact Sharon Stead on 01472 256730 or email [email protected].
You can also discover how to get involved through the Government's guidelines and make use of a letter template, both of which can be found below.
