Aspire Group drives Brown's youth scheme

The chief executive of the Aspire Group today welcomed the launch of a government scheme creating a further 85,000 opportunities to help young people into work.

But Sinead Butters believes even more should be done to address youth unemployment.

Last year Aspire Housing merged with PM Training – a social enterprise which tackles worklessness among young people.

Since its launch, PM Training has already helped more than 9,000 people into sustainable jobs, apprenticeships and NVQ training, making it the most successful training provider in Staffordshire.

“We welcome the Prime Minister’s pledge to expand the youth job scheme,” said Sinead Butters.

“But we are also very keen to ensure that as a business we do all we can improve our customers’ life chances, and those of everyone living in North Staffordshire.

“In the past 12 months, the Aspire Group has recruited 30 apprentices – this is 6.5 per cent of our workforce.”

She added: “We are totally committed to the career development of young people in North Staffordshire and we will continue to support the apprenticeship programme even further, meeting our target of employing 50 young apprentices by 2010.”

The Aspire Group works with more than 200 employers in the area, including three other housing associations, to provide work placements and apprenticeship programmes. However, the organisation is always keen to grow these partnerships.

“Getting more young people into long-term employment benefits them, and society as a whole,” said Sinead Butters.

“We cannot ignore the fact that today’s teenagers will suffer greatly in terms of work opportunities and training due to the downturn unless they receive the support that they need to succeed.”

Around 935,000 young people in England are not in employment or training according to recent official figures.