Kickstart Extension Scheme - Leicester and Leicestershire

The Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership (LLEP) has pledged £500,000 of funding to build on the work already done under the Government's Kickstart scheme, which offered six-month paid work placements for 16-24 year olds who receive Universal Credit.

The LLEP funding, from its repurposed Growing Places Fund, will double the duration of Kickstart placements to 12 months, meaning more young people can gain crucial experience and skills to help them onto the employment ladder.

The new scheme will be administrated by Leicester City Council on behalf of the LLEP, and will be applied across Leicester and Leicestershire, regardless of location or current Kickstart Gateway provider.

Leicester and Leicestershire's population of 16 to 24-year-olds is above the national average, and data gathered by the LLEP shows that young workers are more likely to be disadvantaged by any economic downturn.

Extending the duration of Kickstart job placements within Leicester and Leicestershire small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) will also give young people who have had to change occupations due to Covid-19 more opportunity to develop important job-related skills.

LLEP's 2019 Employer Skills Survey showed that 68 percent of employers in business and other services cited having relevant work experience as critical to recruitment for young people.

The extra funding follows work by the LLEP and other local partners to assess the economic impact of Covid-19 and to create a recovery plan which focused on the key priorities needed to support local businesses and people.

For more details click here - Extra funding will extend work experience scheme (leicester.gov.uk)

(Source: Leicester City Council)