Hub to help Valley youth get ready for working life
A YOUTH hub has launched in the Valley to help 16-24 year olds become ‘work ready’.
Based at Futures Park in Bacup, the hub is funded by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
Only the second of its kind in Lancashire and Cumbria, the hub is manned by Jobcentre youth work coaches Natasha Woods and Liam Hickey and is supported by the council’s employability programmes Rossendale Works and Rossendale Youth Works.
Rossendale Council has also been helping Valley businesses to access funding to support full-time jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds while running the local employability and skills forum.
Council leader Alyson Barnes said: “The new youth hub brings services as close as it can to the people that need them, breaking down any potential barriers to work and providing participants with all the support they need to help them succeed in the job market.
“Our young people are our future; the more help we can give them the better.”
Since Rossendale Youth Works was founded in November last year, it has worked with 50 young people and 15 have now gained full-time employment.
Schemes include providing young people with physical activities, mental health support, access to group sessions run by Burnley FC in the Community and other organisations including Citizens’ Advice.
Rossendale Works project lead, Paul Becouarn, said: “It is important that we have a structured timetable of physical and mental health and well-being activities to help those who are not yet ready for work. Rossendale Works and Youth Works have been a great success and the hub works alongside these projects.
“Rossendale Works and Youth Works initially started off to support local employers and businesses, now it has turned full circle and we have local businesses and residents coming to us to see what they can do to help the residents.”