Scheme to help young people get new start in jobs market

A PROJECT to help young people get a new start in the jobs market has been launched in Rotherham.

Talent Match is to target 18-to-24-year-olds who have been out of a job for a year and are not in training or college — and particularly aims to help those who have had problems such as mental health issues or family difficulties.

The Mayor of Rotherham, Cllr John Foden, attended the launch of Talent Match at MyPlace Rotherham.

Talent Match is being run by Rotherham’s Rush House, which offers support and accommodation for young people aged 16 to 25.

Funded by the Big Lottery Fund with a £100 million budget nationally in 21 areas, the project has £10 million for the next five years with which organisers aim to help 3,000 young people.

The scheme aims to provide users with the skills and confidence they need to impress employers or set up in business for themselves.

Talent Match includes a work subsidy where employers have wages paid for six months if they offer a permanent job at the end of the period.

Sarah Gregory, programme manager for Sheffield Futures and Talent Match, said: “It’s a huge area with lots of different challenges. There is urban and countryside so there will be big challenges.”

Ms Gregory said that the scheme expects to get 600 young people into jobs over the next five years.

She added: “That may not sound a lot but we are talking about young people with the greatest challenges.”

Three Talent Match coaches will work with around 30 people a year in Rotherham.

Steve Kirk, co-ordinator of Talent Match in Rotherham, said: “We want to do as much in Rotherham as we can to help people.

“The hardest thing for me is not to get people ready, it’s getting the work opportunities.”

Employers who have vacancies are being invited to contact Talent Match and the project itself is trying to drum up interest from young people by spreading the word at places such as children’s centres and sixth forms.

Each person being helped by Talent Match will get one-to-one support for 40 hours, Mr Kirk added.

Claire Bradwell, Talent Match enterprise coach, said: “My role is to support young people who are wanting to start up in business.”

She said that people have already come forward with ideas including social enterprises, running workshops and self-employed construction work.

She said: “It’s not forced on people like the Work Programme as this is focussed on what the young people’s needs are.

“Each person gets tailored support.

“Because it’s not mandatory, people are much happier to do it.”