Tackling youth unemployment in Northampton - help for 1,510 young people locally (Andrew Simpson)

Tackling youth unemployment in Northampton - help for 1,510 young people locally

November 26, 2011 10:08 AM
By Andrew Simpson

Liberal Democrat Leader and Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg has announced a £1 billion pound Youth Contract to tackle youth unemployment, which aims to ensure that all jobless young people are earning or learning again before long-term damage is done.

In Northampton there are 1,510 18-24 year olds are currently in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance who would stand to benefit from the Youth Contract.

Starting next April, the Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places for 18 to 24 year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.

A new programme to will help 16 and 17 year olds who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs).

This will help the most disengaged of the 10,000 NEETs in the East Midlands to get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.

In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices inEngland.

Commenting, Andrew Simpson, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary spokesperson for Northampton North constituency said:

"Our new plans will make sure every young person has a fair chance. Thanks to the Lib Dems in Government, [insert boost figure] local learners took on an apprenticeship in the past year to gain key skills, and now the 6.8% of young people in our area on Job Seekers Allowance will get extra support to help them into work too."

The £1 billion new investment to tackle youth unemployment includes:

Over 400,000 new work places for 18 - 24 year olds over the next three years
250,000 extra work experience places for every 18 - 24 year old who wants one (after 3 months on Job Seekers Allowance) and 160,000 wage subsidies
All 18 - 24 year olds to receive extra careers support from Job Seekers Plus (after 3 months on Job Seekers Allowance)
More funding to support apprenticeships, including 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices
A new programme to help the most disengaged 16 - 17 year olds get learning again or into a job with training