Young people in Leigh are to receive extra support to help them into employment through the launch of a new programme, run by Wigan Youth Zone, which opened its doors earlier this week.
A unique partnership between Wigan Youth Zone, Wigan Council, JobCentre Plus and Leigh Sports Village will ensure that young people aged 18-24 are able to access the training and employment opportunities that are available in the area.
Wigan Youth Zone’s Pathway 2 Employment (P2E) programme is based at Leigh Youth Hub and will offer up to 115 young people who are out of work, an intensive mentoring programme where they will receive support and advice to help them access or step closer to employment. Young people will be connected to local organisations within Leigh and Wigan that can provide support with CV writing skills, interview preparation and technique, jobs and apprenticeships, as well as help them to build resilience.
With funding secured through JobCentre Plus, Wigan Youth Zone will deliver the Employability programme from the brand new Leigh Youth Hub at Leigh Sports Village.
Over the next 12 months, Wigan Youth Zone will bring together partners and businesses from across Leigh who will help improve the employment prospects of long-term unemployed young people, help them overcome barriers to employment and subsequently secure employment in the area.
Head of Operations Sikander Ali at Wigan Youth Zone said:
“Over the last 10 years since launching our successful employability programme in Wigan, which has seen over 400 young people get into further education or employment, we have had a real focus on the provision of training and support to our communities. This new partnership extends that with a clear offer to support young people into employment at an economically challenging time.”
“We are looking forward to working closely with Leigh Sports Village, JobCentre Plus and Wigan Council to ensure the success of P2E at Leigh Youth Hub, which will play a key part in supporting young people disproportionately affected by a number of economic issues to access the job market.”
Wigan Youth Zone’s Senior Employment Advisor, Amy Stark, based at Leigh Youth Hub, said:
“The P2E programme truly helps our young people by providing them with an opportunity to learn new skills, build new networks and take their first steps into the world of work. We want to help young people get their careers off to a flying start as unemployment at a young age can leave permanent scarring – and means they’re more likely to earn less over the course of their working lives and experience more spells of unemployment. I would encourage any young person ready to start their career to sign up for our employability programme to unlock and fulfil their potential.”
Anyone between the ages of 18 to 24 can enrol on this free course to help their journey on the career ladder. Wigan Youth Zone is also looking for local businesses across the Borough that may be able to offer work experience and/or work placements for young people. It is hoped that by providing these opportunities, Wigan Youth Zone can continue to make a long-lasting, meaningful impact on the lives of young people in Leigh.
For more information, please contact Amy Stark by emailing Amy.Stark@wiganyouthzone.org.