Future Jobs Fund set to create additional temporary training places at the Council

5th December 2009

The Highland Council has made a bid for £1.75 million to allow people - aged between 18-24 years - to get training to help them back into work in the Highlands and deliver benefits to the community.

The bid is to the Department of Work and Pensions for funding from the Future Jobs Fund. If successful, the Council could offer a minimum of six months of training for young people, who have been jobless for around one year.

The bid envisages the Council engaging up to 90 young people in each of three phases of implementation between February 2010 and September 2011.

The range of training includes positions in waste management, grounds maintenance, street cleaning, leisure, social care , countryside rangers' service, building and clerical.

Up to £6,500 will be available for each post qualifying. The minimum requirements are that posts should be for 6 months, at least 25 hours per week and paid at the national minimum wage. Sponsors are encouraged to add value to the project through provision of additional resources. Recruitment to posts will be through Job Centre Plus advertising vacancies and by nomination from employment advisors.

Members of The Highland Council's Resources Committee were be advised of the bid at their meeting on Wednesday 2 December 2009. They endorsed the approach taken in the submission and the requirement for a project manager as part of the bid for funding. If the bid is successful the Trainees will be employed on the Council's terms and conditions with an hourly pay rate of £6.13.

Bob Mackinnon, the Council's Fairer Scotland Fund Manager, said: "The project plan is based on a phased intake of recruits over a three month period, but this will still require the recruitment, placement and induction of between 30 and 40 new employees each month. It is intended that each trainee will be offered assistance in developing a personal action plan, training and job seeking assistance through the programme. Services have been extremely positive in identifying opportunities and it is likely that other ideas will emerge as the programme is implemented and collaboration with the voluntary sector is established."

SCVO have also applied for funding for jobs across Scotland, a number of which will be in Highland.

Background: The Future Jobs Fund was announced in the 2009 Budget and will operate between October 2009 and March 2011. The Future Jobs Fund is a challenge fund, not all organisations that submit bids will be successful. The fund is run by the UK Government Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) in partnership with the Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) and with input from Jobcentre Plus Regional Government Offices in England and Devolved Administrations in Scotland and Wales.

The Fund aims to create 150,000 additional jobs, primarily aimed at 18-24 year olds who have been out of work for nearly a year, and to deliver real benefits to communities. The Future Jobs Fund is a part of the Young Person's Guarantee. From early 2010, everyone in between the ages of 18 and 24 who has been looking for work for a year will get an offer of a job, work experience, or training lasting at least 6 months.