As an approved intermediary for the Government’s £2bn Kickstart programme aimed at helping young people back into employment, Coleg Sir Gar is urging businesses to get in touch.

The Kickstart Scheme provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16-24-year olds who are claiming Universal Credit. As an intermediary, Coleg Sir Gar will partner with local businesses to create the minimum requirement of 30 job opportunities for each application to the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

• support you to create placements that meet the requirements of the scheme
• submit an online application to DWP on your behalf
• claim the scheme funding from DWP and pass it on to you as the employer

In addition to the above, Coleg Sir Gar can help you to train young people employed through the scheme as well as offering young people employability support. Which can include:

• support to look for long-term work, including career advice and setting goals
• support with CV and interview preparations
• support for the young person with basic skills, such as attendance, timekeeping and teamwork

• 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week
• associated employer National Insurance contributions
• employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions

A sum of £1,500 per job is also available for set-up costs, support and training.

Evidence of this expenditure is required to reclaim from the scheme, and  any business or organisation can apply for the funding, no matter the size, as long as the jobs that are being created are new.

They can’t replace existing or planned vacancies, nor can they cause existing employees or contractors to lose or reduce their employment.

• a minimum of 25 hours per week, for six months
• paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age group currently £4.55 for 16-17-year olds, £6.45 for 18-20-year olds and £8.20 for 21-24-year olds
• should not require people to undertake extensive training before they begin the job placement

Once a placement has been created, it can then be taken up by a second young person once the first young person has completed their six-month term.