Business across Harborough are being urged to help a young person take their first step into work

Business across Harborough are being urged to help a young person take their first step into work.

Harborough District Council is encouraging entrepreneurs to back the national Kickstart scheme.

The initiative provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit.

The project is part of the Government’s Plan for Jobs, announced in July 2020.

It aims to create thousands of fully-funded and paid work placements across England, Scotland and Wales.

Young people nationally have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic as it batters the economy.

The Kickstart blueprint is being set up in a bid to prevent widespread unemployment and help young people find work.

Businesses can apply for funding to create new six-month job placements for young people on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.

For each job placement, funding will cover:

100 per cent of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week

The associated employer National Insurance contributions

Employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions.

There is also £1,500 per job placement available for set-up costs, support, and training.

Cllr Phil King, the leader of Harborough council, said: “There are potentially hundreds of young people in the district who could benefit from this scheme at this challenging time.

“Businesses can take on a temporary member of staff that is fully-funded by the Government.

“Not only will it help that young person gain valuable experience, it will hugely benefit businesses which can utilise the skills they bring, whether it is digital skills, for example, or just being an extra pair of hands to help out.”

Employers offering less than 30 placements need to apply through an intermediary who will act as a gateway and apply on behalf of a group of organisations.

Harborough Innovation Centre is acting as an intermediary for employers in Harborough district.

To find out more about the scheme and how to apply through the Harborough Innovation Centre, visit the Kickstart webpage https://investinharborough.com/kickstart/ or email [email protected]