Published: Friday 9 October 2020
Businesses and organisations in Kensington and Chelsea can now provide fully funded job placements for young people, with the costs covered by the Government’s Kickstart scheme.
The Council is now an official intermediary for the scheme, meaning it can connect employers with candidates, apply for funding on their behalf and provide advice and support.
As part of the scheme, young people aged 16 to 24 are connected with local employers for high quality job placements which prepare them for the world of work and boost their skills. Those looking for placements are referred through the Job Centre Plus where they’ll be supported by work coaches in looking for the right roles.
Employers will receive £1500 per placement, covering the cost for necessary support and training, national minimum wage payments, National Insurance, and pension contributions for the first six months.
Cllr Catherine Faulks, Lead Member for Economy, Employment and Innovation said:
“It’s not easy for young people looking for their first job during a global pandemic and this scheme will help. It is a fantastic opportunity for young people to secure quality job placements and for employers to benefit from having fresh faces at work without additional costs.
“It’s a top priority for this Council that we have a local economy that works for everyone and being an intermediary for Kickstart is another way that we can support that.”
Any organisation of any size of sector can take part in the scheme, as long as they provide roles which span for a minimum of six months, offer more than 25 hours per week and are paid at least the minimum wage.
Employers with more than 30 placements can apply for funding directly with the Government and those offering fewer can do so through an intermediary, such as the Council.
As a local intermediary, the Council has an active role in helping businesses, organisations and third sector employers. This includes practical support in writing job profiles, working with Job Centre Plus coaches to refer the right people, managing payments, and offering advice to both employers and employees about getting the most out of placements.
Find out more about joining the scheme as an employer by contacting Albena Karameros at [email protected].