If your business can offer meaningful, six-month placements for young people, then register with the government’s new Kickstart Scheme and the costs could be covered.

Kickstart will provide £2bn of funding to employers to create six-month work placements for people aged 16 to 24. Costs covered include 25 hours per week at national minimum wage, employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. There will also be funding available to help young people compile CVs, undergo basic training and deliver careers advice to support them into long-term employment at the end of the six month placement.

Thousands of young people, currently on Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment, could be helped into work by the scheme, part of the government’s Plan for Jobs. It is hoped that the first placements will begin in November 2020 and play an important role in helping the UK economy recover from the coronavirus downturn.

Any organisation, regardless of size, can apply for the funding, but employers offering fewer than 30 placements will need to apply through an intermediary, such as the local authority or Chamber of Commerce. The placements created must be new positions and not replace existing roles, staff or contractors.

To find out more, whether you’re a business owner or a young person interested in a placement, visit the Kickstart website. If you’d like support and advice, email the Think Sandwell employment team at enquiries_recruitment@sandwell.gov.uk or visit our recruitment and training pages.