Employment boost for young people in Kensington and Chelsea

Published: Monday 29 March 2021

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13 new Kickstart job placements in Kensington and Chelsea have been successfully secured by young people in the borough. The new posts have been filled with local employers including Simone de Gale Architects, Portobello Business Centre and Brydon Walk Consultancy.

The Government’s Kickstart scheme creates high quality job placements for young people aged 16 to 24 by providing funding to employers to cover the cost for wages, necessary training, National Insurance, and pension contributions for the first six months.

Kensington and Chelsea Council successfully applied for 74 placements on behalf of 27 local employers so far. Now, the first seven vacancies have been filled and 45 of those 74 have recently opened for applications, providing vital new employment opportunities for local people.

Local employer Simone de Gale, CEO of her own architecture firm in Chelsea, has recruited five Kickstarters in March. She said:

“The Kickstart scheme is a fantastic initiative and I am so pleased the Government has implemented this project in response to reinvigorating the economy. It is a great opportunity for young people who are just finishing school or university to get involved in some fantastic work.  In particular in my organisation, I have provided some university graduates with some challenging roles which will help them grow and learn and gain much needed real-life experience of working in the exceptionally high standards of the demanding architecture and construction industry. The experience will serve my new team members very well and add to their portfolio of skills and CV.

I would encourage as many employers as possible to get on board the Kickstart scheme to help our next generation get into work and gain priceless experience, and possibly a start to their dream career."

Another local employer on the scheme, Council-funded business support organisation Portobello Business Centre (PBC) said:

“We’ve been very impressed with the high standard of applicants and are delighted to announce the appointment of Stephanie Moreno-Beck as our Digital Outreach Officer. Stephanie will be involved in PBC's forthcoming Digital Outreach rollout plus helping develop the North Kensington Connected Business Forum (NKC) that has now grown to 75 members and is making a difference to the economic landscape of Kensington and Chelsea.”

“We are delighted to be involved with Kensington and Chelsea Council in this brilliant national Kickstart initiative which we have helped coordinate with local North Kensington businesses and will provide invaluable workplace experience for 16-24-year-olds.”

As a Gateway Intermediary, the Council continues to connect employers with the scheme to help them put forward high quality placements and provide practical advice. A further 14 vacancies with five new employers has recently been submitted by the Council, providing more opportunities for people as Covid-19 restriction ease. 

Young people looking to apply for the placements will be referred through the Job Centre Plus where they’ll be supported by work coaches through the process.

If you would like to apply for funding for your business or organisation to provide Kickstart placements and register as an employer, contact Fiona Low at [email protected].