Jobs scheme aims to keep more then 100 young people off the dole

A DERBYSHIRE charity is to help more than 100 struggling young people into jobs.

Ilkeston-based charity and social enterprise P3 is finding placements for youngsters currently on Universal Credit. It is hoped they will lead to full-time jobs.

It has secured funding to deliver 60 jobs for young people claiming Universal Credit and enable a further 58 through partnerships with other organisations as part of a national Government-led employment and skills scheme.

It is working to secure 60 parttime job placements by the end of this year, some of which will be within its own organisation, and is coordinating efforts with 12 other partner organisations.

The funding for the placements has come through an initiative led by the Department for Work and

Pensions (DWP), designed to provide work and skills opportunities for people aged 18-24 who are most at risk of unemployment.

The Kickstart scheme was launched last year with an invitation to organisations and charities to apply for funding to support their own local initiatives.

P3 has managed to land enough funding to directly provide or work with partners to create 118 roles in total, each lasting for six months. Of these 14 will be at its own head office, in Ilkeston.

The director of Strategy & Innovation at P3, Gemma Bukel said: “The roles are really varied, they include social media, marketing, digital, IT, administration, painter decorators, receptionists.”

One of P3’s partners in the scheme is women’s support organisation, Cohort 4. Beverley

Gilbert, founder and operations and risk manager at Cohort 4 said: “Being able to join P3 in the Kickstart Scheme is our opportunity to provide a meaningful and useful work placement to a young person as a foundation stone to their future career in the community and voluntary sector.”

For P3’s Kickstart opportunities, go to https://p3people.ciphr-irecruit. com/Applicants