Hackney Council,
13
October
2020
|
15:35
Europe/London

Funding available for local businesses employing young people as part of government initiative

Kickstart 2020

Hackney Council is looking for employers and other partners to work with us to create work placements for residents and school leavers aged 16-24.

Government “Kickstart” funding will cover the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week over six months. The Council’s ask to employers is to top up wages to a minimum of £8.72 per hour. In addition to the wage subsidy, £1,500 per job placement is paid to employers for setup costs, support and training. 

Employers can offer as few or as many placements as they want, but funding applications to the government must be for a minimum of 30 placements, which is why we are working with employers of all sizes to apply for funding on their behalf.

The Council’s offer to employers and partners:

  • Submit a funding application on your behalf, and disburse grant funding to you
  • Provide a toolkit of best practice and training to create quality work placements
  • Work with our DWP partners to give you a shortlist of suitable candidates
  • Provide preparation, in-work and progression support for participants; working with education sector partners and employers who can offer training, mentoring or career insight for young people
  • Support you to develop progression routes such as apprenticeships.
Cllr Carole Williams, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources
The coronavirus pandemic as well as the uncertainty of A Level and GCSE results this year is having a profound impact on the labour market, resulting in many young people re-evaluating their education and work plans. 

“Hackney Council wants to provide young people with the experience, skills and opportunities they need to put their career on the right footing during the most economically challenging time they may ever face. I would encourage local employers to create opportunities for our young people that pay as highly as possible, and ideally the London Living Wage of £10.75 per hour.
Cllr Carole Williams, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources

The Council’s Inclusive Economy strategy focuses on the creation of meaningful, quality paid employment opportunities for Hackney residents and school leavers, ensuring everyone can benefit from Hackney’s economic growth. 

Why work with Hackney?

  • We have a track record of delivering successful early career schemes. We were named the Top Public Sector Employer at the 2018 and 2019 School Leaver Awards, and the London Employer of the Year at the National Apprenticeship Awards 2019
  • We have a large talent pool of Hackney 16-24 year olds, with links to local schools, colleges and universities
  • We have the expertise and partnerships to ensure young people are prepared and supported through their placements.

Our Hackney 100 and apprenticeship programmes have created hundreds of opportunities for our residents to start or develop their careers, and this new funding gives us the opportunity to build on this work with partners at a critical time.

For more information complete our short expression of interest form and one of our team will get in touch.