Partnership will create youth jobs in the Highlands
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Businesses in the Highlands are being iurged to sign up for a scheme helping young people into work.
The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has teamed up with Adecco Working Ventures to help small firms access the UK government’s Kickstart Scheme.
Announced in July by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, the scheme is intended to help tackle the issue of increasing numbers of young people aged 16 to 24 struggling to find work and on Universal Credit.
The new partnership will allow the FSB, the UK’s largest business support group, and Adecco Working Ventures, a new joint venture between staffing group Adecco and vocational training company Corndel, to form a new national gateway for the scheme, which covers Scotland, England and Wales.
The FSB will also be delivering a regional programme of webinars and other resources to encourage, inspire and help small businesses to get involved and make the most of the new scheme.
David Richardson, the FSB’s development manager for the Highlands and Islands, hailed the development as good news for lots of smaller firms throughout the region.
“The UK’s small businesses are the biggest private employer in Britain and are an integral part of local communities across the Highlands," he said.
"They are proven to offer more career and employment opportunities to those furthest from work, such as the long-term unemployed and young people who are not in employment, training or education.
“At this critical time, we have successfully worked with government to develop the new Kickstart Scheme, and help small employers to be part of the solution. I want to thank the Department for Work and Pensions and HM Treasury teams for being open to our suggestions on Kickstart, which will help thousands of young people in local communities currently struggling to find work.
“We have allied with Adecco due to its track record in creating job opportunities for young people. This will be alongside local authorities and others to create lots of choices to access the scheme. Small businesses have been keen to take part, and this announcement means that they can now do so with confidence that the support needed for both the employer, and the young person, will be in place.”
The UK unemployment rate has risen to its highest level for two years, with official figures showing those aged 16 to 24 suffering the biggest drop in employment compared with other age groups.
Small employers across the Highlands and Islands have a strong record of introducing ambitious young people into workplaces, such as through apprenticeships where 92 per cent of small business apprenticeships are held by those under the age of 25. The Kickstart Scheme offers a new route into the workplace to gain practical hands-on experience.
Adecco Working Ventures director Sean Williams said: “We are delighted to have worked with FSB to create this partnership. We will be helping make the Kickstart programme a success for small businesses and for young people. By making it easy for small businesses to access the scheme we will significantly increase the number of opportunities available for young people.”
Announcing the new partnership, Thérèse Coffey MP, the UK government work and pensions minister, commented: “Small businesses are absolutely vital to our recovery as we build back better and a key part of the Kickstart Scheme. It’s great to have the Federation of Small Businesses and Adecco supporting them to take full advantage of our landmark Kickstart Scheme by becoming a national Kickstart gateway.
“SMEs in communities across the country can submit their applications through FSB with the confidence that they’ll be supported throughout the process, and able to ensure each young person makes a success of their Kickstart role. I encourage all small businesses to see if a Kickstart placement could benefit their workplace.”
Small employers who are keen to offer a Kickstart role to a young person can now register at fsb.org.uk/kickstart
