Jobs Boost for Young People
Nine unemployed young people are getting a foot on the employment ladder thanks to Ashford Borough Council and the Future Jobs Fund.
Ashford Borough Council has provided nine posts through the scheme, offering experience in different areas across the Council including housing, ICT, customer services, planning and building control.
The nine, who have all been long-term unemployed, started work at the Civic Centre in March. Their six month posts, which are fully funded by the government project, will give them an opportunity to gain valuable work experience and training.
The £1bn Future Jobs Fund aims to create jobs primarily aimed at 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for nearly a year and is part of the government’s Young Person’s Guarantee. Kent County Council submitted a successful bid to the Department for Work and Pensions in July 2009 to deliver 1,000 posts in Kent and worked with Ashford Borough Council to establish posts in the Ashford area.
Chief Executive John Bunnett said, “We are delighted to be able to help these young people to get six months experience of the working environment which will in turn give them a chance to learn new skills and build confidence.
”Although the unemployment rate in Ashford is still below the county and national average approximately a third of unemployed people are aged between 18 and 24. We are sure this opportunity to offer help to young people who have been longer-term unemployed will bring real benefits.”
“Everyone at Ashford Borough Council wishes them well. I’m sure they will enjoy working with us and I’m certain the experience they gain and training they receive here will help their long term career prospects.”
Rachel Williams, 20, from Ashford was out of work for over six months before applying for one of the Future Jobs Fund posts at the council and joins the Housing team. She says, “I was really thrilled to get one of the posts at the council and I’m looking forward to working there.
“It’s really hard to get a decent job when you don’t have a lot of experience, especially at the moment when there are less jobs to go around. The Future Jobs Fund posts are a great way of getting long-term experience and training which will help my future job prospects.”
The Future Jobs Fund was announced in the 2009 Budget with the funds to be spent between October 2009 and March 2011.
The fund is run by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and with input from Jobcentre Plus and Regional Government Offices in England.
