Published: Wednesday 23 December 2020
Sixty-four high quality job placements for young people aged 16 to 24 have been opened up with employers in Kensington and Chelsea through the Kickstart Scheme.
The placements have been funded through the Government to cover the cost for necessary support and training, national minimum wage payments, National Insurance, and pension contributions for the first six months. This allows businesses, organisations and third sector employers to create more local job opportunities, bring fresh faces into their workforce, and allow them to develop their skills.
21 employers took part in an application submitted by Kensington and Chelsea Council, which is an official Gateway Intermediary for smaller employers on the scheme, to secure the funding.
Cllr Catherine Faulks, Lead Member for Economy, Employment and Innovation said:
“It is vital for us to create as many job opportunities as possible for people in the borough and this scheme will provide many young people with a first step into a career. It’s been really encouraging to see so many local businesses keen to take part despite a very difficult year for many.
“We’re looking forward to seeing these placements filled with our fantastic local employers in the new year and hope for many more to come.”
One of the employers on the scheme, Tariq Karim, Founder of medical and wellness spa Santi Health said:
“It’s vital in such times to be able to give back our experience in the industry by cultivating new talent. Often there is a gap between skills acquired and practical experience to ensure those skills meet standards.”
Another local employer, Tommy Van Bogaert of Greenlife Contractors said:
“We are offering vital business to business skills, on site experiences, enabling a young person a step on their career path. It is already very hard for a young person to find a job where they are valued as a member of staff, by giving them additional support and training we hope to assist them in their job development.”
Also taking part in the scheme are the organisers of Notting Hill Carnival, who said:
“We are delighted to offer opportunities within our Digital Marketing and Communication team. Notting Hill Carnival is an event with its heart in the local community and to give young people the chance to be involved in an event that is rich arts and culture, especially after such a challenging 2020 we hope will be rewarding for us as well as the young people we work with.”
As a Gateway Intermediary, the Council also works to connect employers with candidates, ensure placements are of a high quality, and provide practical advice and support to both employers and employees about getting the most out of placements.
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.