Buckinghamshire Council helping kickstart the careers of young residents

Government scheme is aimed at 16 to 24-year-olds at risk of long-term unemployment
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Buckinghamshire Council is set to hire 35 young people as part of the government’s Kickstart scheme.

Kickstart provides young people aged 16 to 24 who are claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment with valuable work experience and an opportunity to develop their workplace skills.

Kickstart roles at the unitary council will include Project Support Administrator, Library Services Assistant, Environmental Health Support Officer, ICT Support Assistant and HR Service Desk Advisor.

Bucks Council will hire 35 young people on fixed-term six-month contracts under the schemeBucks Council will hire 35 young people on fixed-term six-month contracts under the scheme
Bucks Council will hire 35 young people on fixed-term six-month contracts under the scheme

All of the roles will be for a minimum of 25 hours per week, and participants will be employed by Bucks Council on a six-month fixed-term contract. The government will fund the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, depending on the age of the Kickstart participant.

As well as participants benefiting from the council’s standard induction programme, Bucks Adult Learning team will also deliver a bespoke induction to the Kickstart employees.

This will cover topics such as work readiness skills, self-motivation, managing workload and asking for help, personal goal setting, stress management and wellbeing.

Each Kickstart employee will be allocated a buddy and/or mentor, who will initiate one-to-one discussions to help the Kickstart employee understand the different skills and career pathways available to them and to encourage them to start thinking about their next destination if they aren't already.

Anita Cranmer, cabinet member for education and children’s services, said: “I’m excited that we’re able to help young people affected by the economic impacts of Covid-19 through the creation of high-quality work placements.

"In addition, I’m pleased that many of our teams will be able to benefit from additional resources and fresh ideas.

"The roles will also enable teams to see whether a young person is a good fit for a possible apprenticeship or entry-level role after their placement.”

Interested candidates can apply for a Kickstart placement through an initial referral from the local Jobcentre Plus, then by completing Buckinghamshire Council’s online application form