ASTON Villa, Wolves, West Bromwich Albion, Birmingham City and other professional or semi-professional football clubs are being invited by the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to help young people kick off their careers.
The WMCA is holding an event with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) for Premier League, EFL Championship and Conference League football clubs in the region to talk about how they could offer valuable placements for young people through the Government’s Kickstart scheme.
Kickstart funds employers to create six-month job placements for 16- to 24-year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Many young people have been hit hard by the pandemic and Kickstart aims to change that.
Organisations represented at the webinar on Friday, June 18 from 9.30am to 10.30am will include the EFL and Walsall FC, which has already taken on seven young Kickstarters, with 13 more places due by the end of the year.
To book a place at the event, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/157222858803
The WMCA and DWP partnership is leading the region in brokering and promoting the £2bn scheme, working together with local councils and Chambers of Commerce.
Mayor of the West Midlands Andy Street said: “Our region’s professional football clubs have a fantastic track record when it comes to giving something back to their local communities, and the Kickstart scheme is another opportunity to do just that.
“We know that young people have been the hardest hit economically by the pandemic, and Kickstart is a great way to help these unemployed youngsters into work to begin their careers.
“The likes of Villa, Wolves, West Brom and Blues can all offer young people the skills they need to score jobs across a variety of sectors in the West Midlands, just as Walsall FC have been doing.
“I would encourage other football clubs – both professional and semi-professional – to come along to this event and find out how they could give young people a helping hand to achieve their career goals.”
To register for Kickstart, visit https://www.wmca.org.uk/kickstart-scheme and for more information contact [email protected]
