NEWSROOM

It was recently confirmed that Telford College had been successful in its bid to deliver a youth hub in the Borough as part of the Government’s Youth Guarantee.

The hub will support approximately 300 young people aged 16 to 24 each year and will be delivered in partnership with Telford & Wrekin Council and Landau.

When it launches, the hub will support young people who are not already in employment, education or training (NEET) or who are in receipt of universal credit.

Participants will receive intensive one-to-one support, access to accredited training, including English, maths and digital skills, employer-led events, work experience and mock interviews.

Jobcentre Plus work coaches, employability specialists, mental health professionals and housing advisers will also be involved in the hub.

As well as a town centre base for co-ordination, there will be targeted outreach in rural areas, including the TF1 and TF7 postcodes, using a mobile teaching unit to ensure young people across the Borough have equal access to support.

Six employer engagement events will be delivered in collaboration with DWP across the 12-month programme, including jobs fairs, sector insight events and apprenticeship fairs.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Education and Skills, said:

“As a Council, we welcome this decision and look forward to working in close partnership with Telford College and Landau to expand opportunities for young people across our Borough, enabling them to access employment, education and training while pursuing their long-term ambitions.

“The new hub will strengthen the support already available locally, including the Telford Job Box, which offers a free service at Southwater One in central Telford, helping residents, particularly young people, take the next steps into work, training and education.

“This runs alongside our Telford and Wrekin Skills Strategy and our Stay Near, Go Far campaign, where we’re continuing to broaden opportunities and raise awareness of the wide range of skills, learning and employment support available to help people stay local and thrive.

“Recent findings from a national review into youth employment, education and training paint a stark picture of the challenges many young people face.

“Through this hub and strong partnership working, we aim to buck the national trend and ensure our young people have the opportunities and support they need to succeed and thrive.”

Telford Job Box is a one-stop shop which offers support with CV writing, interview preparation, job applications and careers advice. More information on the Telford Job Box can be found online.

Landau is a supported employment and training charity, which provides routes to training and employment for hundreds of young people across the West Midlands every year. To find out more about the work of Landau, visit their website.