THE government has recently announced the new “Kickstart Scheme” where UK businesses can receive 100% funding for giving paid job placements to young people.
However businesses can only apply directly if they can provide 30 placements so Edventure: Frome is partnering with small local organisations and businesses to access the scheme together.
Edventure Frome are a local not-for-profit community organisation working with young people and the wider community in Frome. They will support a group of employers working in the green/sustainable business sector and the community sector, across food production, retail, manufacturing, services, green building and sharing/repairing companies, to create placements in their organisations and access the funding. Businesses from other sectors can also work with other intermediaries, such as Somerset Chamber of Commerce, to access the scheme.
Lisa Hawes at Edventure says, “We work really closely with young adults in Frome and have seen how the pandemic has affected them disproportionately. Kickstart feels like a really practical way we can support people into meaningful, paid employment. By focussing on green businesses and the community sector, we can support the types of enterprises that make a real difference in our community as well as help to create decent work for young people and support sustainable growth in our local economy. It feels like a win-win-win situation”
Employers will receive a young person (or several) working in their company fully funded for six months paid at the National Living Wage (top-up to Living Wage is recommended) for 25 hours a week. (You can also increase hours and wages). There’s also a budget for inhouse training and support as well as induction training for the employer and an employment support helpline.
Johannes Moeller, managing director of Edventure says, “We know that it can be challenging for a small business to train and support a young person on a placement. That’s why we are offering a training and support programme for the young person alongside looking after the admin side of arranging the placements. Businesses will be able to pick up the phone and get help with addressing any issues that might crop up.”
Young people (aged 16-24) will get a job for 6 months and training to help get a foot in the door and increase their chances of long-term employment and building a livelihood that matters to them. They’ll also get the opportunity to work in green businesses or community sector organisations that make a real difference in the local area, to be a part of building a greener, fairer and more sustainable world.
Throughout their placements, young people will be supported with weekly training and support from Edventure.
If you are a green organisation locally, please consider getting involved. Edventure are seeking employers to work with and help support a green and fair recovery for Frome, as well as creating meaningful livelihoods in our town and contributing to more resilient local economy. For more information, visit www.edventurefrome.org/kickstart and email lisahawes@edventure frome.org.
If you are aged 16-24 and are interested in a placement, please check out www.edventurefrome.org/kickstart and leave your details, Edventure will get in touch with you. Full details of the Kickstart scheme are available at www.gov.uk/ government/collections/kickstart-scheme
