Jack Buckler

Kickstart is a new employment scheme that has been launched by Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) where the government provides funding to employers to create part-time job placements for young people aged 16-24. P3 applied to the scheme and secured funding to deliver 60 work placements over the course of 2021.

Following the economic impact of Covid-19 and the various lockdowns on young people accessing employment, these roles are designed to give a high quality 6-month work placement to young people who are currently working with a Work Coach and in receipt of Universal Credit, so that they can gain the experience and skills to help them further their careers and go on to permanent employment.

The placements being offered by P3 will give young people across the country the chance to gain experience in careers from support work through to digital design. The first of the placements are due to commence in April with the first applications to our vacancies being made as I write this blog!

During their placement, Kickstart participants at P3 will also receive employability support, such as CV writing and interview skills workshops, to help them secure long-term sustained employment in the future.

One of the most exciting parts of the scheme is P3 are also acting as a ‘Gateway’ for 12 other organisations to access the Kickstart Scheme. These partners are spread across the country and include Harrow Club in London, Lincolnshire Action Trust, Cohort4 in Warwickshire and many more. Between them they will be delivering 58 work placements, meaning in total the network will employ 118 young people by the end of December 2021.

Moving forward, the network also hopes to collaborate to offer permanent job opportunities to some of the Kickstart participants who join us on placements.

The placements at P3 will be starting April–October of this year, so if you encounter a bright-eyed, bushy tailed newbie at work, they could well be a ‘Kickstarter’; please say hello!