Meeting the young people and employers benefitting from a national scheme to get people into work

Brooke Smith, Calvin Campbell, Neil O’Brien MP, warehouse manager Matt Coyne, business manager Penny Wallace, and Cllr Phil King at the Battery Service Hub.

Harborough council leader Phil King and MP Neil O’Brien have visited young people and employers benefitting from the national Kickstart Scheme.

They visited the Battery Service Hub in Riverside End, Market Harborough, to meet office assistant Brooke Smith and warehouse operative Calvin Campbell.

They have been taken on through the Government project.

Cllr Phil King, MB Performance owner Michael Bent, Jake Buytenhuys, and Neil O’Brien MP at Kibworth Golf Club.

Cllr King and Mr O’Brien also went to see Jake Buytenhuys, who has been hired as a retail assistant by golf shop MB Performance, based at Kibworth Golf Club.

Jake said: “Golf is my passion, it runs in my family, so this is such a nice environment to work in.

“I am working on the website so this allows me to build on my IT degree.

“It’s really helping set me up for the future.”

Harborough District Council invited businesses to apply for the Kickstart scheme last November.

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

Placements are funded by the blueprints, giving businesses the chance to take on staff and expand amid the shattering Covid pandemic.

So far 13 young people have started a Kickstart role through the council’s ‘gateway’ to the scheme.

They are already gaining valuable work skills and experience with local employers.

And more are set to follow over the next few months.

“The council and Harborough Innovation Centre are playing a key role in helping local young people and employers benefit from the opportunity,” said Harborough council.

Cllr King said: “It was a pleasure to visit the young people who are taking part in this initiative.

“They are gaining real life experience which is essential to their future progression at this challenging time for the economy.

“I am pleased the council has been able to support this scheme to ensure local people have these opportunities.”

MP Neil O’Brien said: “It was great speaking with Brooke, Calvin and Jake and hearing their excellent experiences of the Government’s Kickstart scheme.

“It’s creating high-quality placements for young people that will help them gain valuable experience as we start to recover from the pandemic.

“It’s excellent to see local businesses taking part with support from Harborough District Council.”

If you are a young person interested in a Kickstart placement, speak to your work coach at the job centre and apply.

Employers are still able to apply to create placements through the project.

Contact the council for more information and support by emailing [email protected]