Issue details

Kickstart Work Experience Programme

To seek approval to receive grants from DWP to deliver the Kickstart Work Experience programme to support unemployed young people aged 16-24 years, and to seek approvals to pay out grants to employers approved to deliver Kickstart Work Experience placements as part of the Council Gateway.

 

Decision type: Key

Reason Key: Expenditure > £250,000;

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Wards affected: (All Wards);

Notice of proposed decision first published: 01/12/2020

This decision will be taken under urgency procedures.

Reason for urgency:
Wolverhampton currently has the third highest percentage of youth unemployment in England at 15.9% with a total of 3380 young people claiming benefits (NOMIS September 2020). This has more than doubled since January 2020. This scheme will assist in responding to the urgent issue of youth unemployment in our city by placing young people in paid work who are claiming Universal Credit in Wolverhampton.

There are currently 122 work experience placements ready to be submitted to DWP for approval before they can be offered to young people in our city. The DWP approval process takes up to 30 days and therefore a further 28 days would mean that decisions to offer placements in Wolverhampton could then not realistically start take place until at least February 2020.

The Kickstart work experience scheme is time limited and all placements need to be submitted and approved by DWP before December 2021.

Decision due: 9 Dec 2020 by Cabinet (Resources) Panel

Lead member: Councillor Stephen Simkins, Leader labourleadersoffice@wolverhampton.gov.uk

Lead director: Richard Lawrence, Director of City Development

Contact: Sue Lindup, Skills and Employability Manager (Adults) Email: sue.lindup@wolverhampton.gov.uk.

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