London firms urged to offer work placements in unique jobs scheme

The Summer Jobs Programme, which launched last year, provides paid work experience for young people in a bid to provide them with a brighter future. It is now being expanded to South Wales, with employers in the area urged to come forward to provide vital placements.

The programme runs during the summer holidays and includes a preparation week, five weeks of paid work experience – funded by the scheme - and wraparound support from a youth worker.

Thora Eberts, UK Youth head of network delivery, said: “The scheme was a huge success last summer, helping hundreds of young people build confidence and develop their employability skills.

“Now we are looking for more employers prepared to welcome, work with, mentor and supervise a vulnerable young person in a safe and supported way.

“As well as providing young people with paid work experience, developing their employability, the Summer Jobs Programme offers companies the chance to do some real good and offer opportunities to vulnerable young people – alongside the prospect of extra staff over the summer months. I urge firms to come forward, host a placement and help make a significant impact in the lives of young people.”

Based on the successful One Summer Chicago scheme, which has been running in Chicago, USA, for a decade, the scheme is aimed at young people aged 16-20 who are at risk of violence.

Employers who took part last year included Timpson, Veolia and Morgan Sindall, among many others, with four-fifths saying they would most likely take part again and many offering the young person a permanent role – Burger King, for example, hired more than half of the 21 young people it provided placements for.

Among last year’s employers, 82 per cent said they were satisfied with the overall programme, with the same percentage saying they were satisfied with the young person’s fulfilment of tasks.

One placement supervisor said of their young person: “I’ve definitely seen him grow in maturity and confidence, for sure, and I think that comes from being trusted. I think it comes from being paid well as well.”

Another said: “The young person was really quiet and shy when he arrived, but he came out of his shell and from the start to the end of the programme his confidence improved dramatically. We didn’t treat him any differently from the rest of the team, he exceeded our expectations and I like to think he left with some useful experience and a sense of pride in what he had achieved.”

Some 95 per cent of the 400 young people who took part last year said they were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the programme.

This year, as well as returning to Greater Manchester, Birmingham and London, the programme is being expanded to South Wales, South Yorkshire and Middlesbrough – with the aim of helping 600 young people.

It is taking place in the London boroughs of Barking & Dagenham, Camden, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Greenwich, Hackney, Hammersmith, Haringey, Hounslow, Islington, Kensington, Lambeth, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Wandsworth and Westminster.

The Summer Jobs Programme is part of a large research project to learn better ways to support young people at risk of violence. The project is funded by the Youth Endowment Fund, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Youth Futures Foundation.

For further information about getting involved in the scheme, see shorturl.at/wiYlB