Government 'Backing Young Britain' with new campaign to boost employment

The Government today launched a campaign to create thousands of jobs and work experience places to help young people through the recession, with the first new posts including sports coaches and education assistants.

Around 10,000 internships and work placements will be made available for 18 to 21-year-olds who haven't been to universities, while other measures will include job clubs and a mentoring network.

Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper said 47,000 new jobs will be funded by the £1 billion Future Jobs Fund, targeted at young unemployed people, with a variety of places in green and social care sectors as well as education, tourism and sports.

"We are determined not to lose a generation of talent because of the recession. Many young people were denied the help they needed in the recessions of the 80s and 90s ending up out of work for months and years. Too many never got a start in the jobs market.

"We are determined not to let that happen again. This is why we are announcing 47,000 new jobs for young people today, and, - with business and charities - we are launching a national call to action to our fellow employers to join us in Backing Young Britain - to give every young person a job, a training place, skills or work experience."

To mark the campaign, the Government will tomorrow launch a graduate talent pool website, with more than 2,000 internships available to graduates, with 4,000 more due to come on stream in the next few weeks.

Firms were urged to offer work experience, internships, work trials or jobs as well as providing mentors to schools and universities to help young people in their search for work.

Schools Secretary Ed Balls said: "We must not repeat the mistakes that were made in recessions of the past and abandon a whole generation of young people. The Government already has programmes up and running to help school leavers, graduates and young unemployed people and we'd like businesses and charities to join in by offering as volunteering places, work experience and apprenticeships.

"For our part, the September guarantee for school leavers will guarantee all 16 and 17 year olds a place in learning, whether that's at school, college, in training or an apprenticeship.

"We're expanding apprenticeships and training places, as well as places in sixth forms and colleges for a range of courses like Diplomas and A levels, with an overall investment of £6.9billion - in the education and training of 16-18 year olds across the country.

"The extra £655m of investment announced in the Budget means we can meet our guarantee for school leavers and more than 1.5 million young people - the highest number ever - will be able to stay on in education or training this year."

The Future Jobs Fund is open to local authorities, charities and other voluntary organisations to bid for money to create socially useful jobs for young people in their communities and for older unemployed people in unemployment hotspots.

Latest figures showed that the number of unemployed 18 to 24-year-olds was 726,000 in May, up by 95,000 from earlier in the year, and the highest total since 1993.

John Wright, chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses said: "The majority of small firms would like to take on an apprentice but are put off by the administration involved, and the lack of financial support. The Government must make it easier for the smallest firms to create apprenticeships and should put in place a group apprenticeship programme to bring employers and apprentices together.

"Funds from the Government's Train to Gain scheme in England must also be ring-fenced for the smallest firms, to ensure they are able to get the funding they need to train and support an apprentice.

"In a survey of our members, 82% said they would be in favour of an increase in the minimum wage for apprentices, which would give them more of an incentive to complete the traineeship and give employers a higher chance of serious applicants for the position. Small businesses are eager to do their bit and to take on new employees, but the Government must step up and help them to tackle the problem of unemployment."

Richard Lambert, CBI Director-General, said: "With unemployment rising, times are particularly tough for young people trying to take their first steps in the world of work.

"Business has a vested interest in the well-being of the society in which it operates, and in the skills and employability of its future workforce.

"That is why we support business, government and voluntary sector organisations working together to help young people make the transition to the workplace.

"Backing Young Britain points employers in the right direction to access government support and advice on a number of key programmes.

"It is important this initiative equips young people with the employability skills they will need to stay employed."