Action for Wiltshire press release - future jobs fund

Please tell us what you think about our website, we welcome your feedback.

Customer notice

Due to essential maintenance some of our web services will be unavailable between these times 7pm Friday 25 May and 5pm Sunday 27 May 2012.

In case of any emergencies please see our Facebook or Twitter pages.

7 April 2011

The council has helped Wiltshire’s employers create job opportunities for hundreds of young, unemployed people.

In 2009 Wiltshire Council led a successful partnership bid resulting in an award of £3.2 million from the Department of Work & Pension's Future Jobs Fund to create 495 jobs for Wiltshire's out of work young people.

With the support of 25 local employers, that target was reached before the programme finished on 31 March.

Leader of Wiltshire Council, Jane Scott, said: “Wiltshire Council, through the Wiltshire Assembly, was determined to help counteract the effects of the recession on young people. The Future Jobs Fund Programme was created at the right time for us to achieve this aim. The programme was challenging and its 100 percent success is due to the spirit and energy of our employer partners and the commitment and drive shared with our close colleagues in JobCentre Plus. We are very proud to have led the development of a new workforce for Wiltshire and wish all Future Jobs Fund employees the greatest success in their next steps to employment”.

Of the 277 leavers to date, only 45 (16 percent) have returned to benefits whilst the vast majority have gone on to gain employment within the private sector.

For some young people the scheme was an opportunity to improve their job prospects in the recession and for others it was a first break into employment. For others, it was a break into employment, something to put on a CV and that vital first reference.

Mike Williams, MBE, Chief Executive Wessex Association of Chambers of Commerce, said: “We would like to congratulate Wiltshire Council and the Wiltshire Assembly for creating 495 jobs under their Action for Wiltshire Programme. We have taken part in Future Jobs Fund from the start and provided nine jobs, with all progressing to employment or further education. We are all experiencing challenging times however, young people need increased opportunities to improve their chances in the employment market. As a business-led organisation, we would strongly recommend this initiative should continue for the future of our young people if we are to compete in a rapidly changing global economy.”

Last year, Wiltshire Council received recognition for its work in helping young people into employment when it was awarded the Jobcentre Plus Youth Employment Award, beating competition from local authorities and businesses across the south west

Last updated: 13 June 2011