Future Jobs Fund Team

More than 300 unemployed young people from South London are to be given on the job training that will help not only their future prospects, but also local firms and the community.

The scheme is the brainchild of South London Business which has won funding from the Government’s Future Jobs Fund. Working closely with Croydon Job Centre and other Job Centres around south London, SLB has already interviewed its first batch of young people between the ages of 18 and 24 and the first group have been taken on.

A total of 105 will have been employed by the end of this year leading to a final total of 315 by March 2011.

Employed directly by SLB the new recruits are contracted for a six-month period. During this time they will be based at the organisation’s central Croydon headquarters where they will be trained to carry out a range of office tasks including business administration, events co-ordination, and outreach work.

This will involve placements with other organisations in South London working to assist local businesses. These will include local chambers of commerce in other boroughs. The young people, each of whom is designated as a Business Community Assistant, will find themselves supporting social enterprises as well as voluntary and community groups and small businesses.

“The young people we employ will therefore be making a real difference to the community while also gaining valuable skills and employment. It is a win-win situation,” said Peter Pledger, Chief Executive of South London Business.

“Their jobs with us will be for six months, providing them with real work experience, a reference, improved skills and enhanced employability. We will also be giving them assistance in finding further employment.”

As most jobs now in South London are office-based, the project will ensure that the young people have the range of skills and experience to secure long-term employment in the sectors offering most jobs in the area.

One of the new recruits is 19-year-old Poonam Patel from Cheam who has just started her six month contract with SLB after having heard about the scheme from her local Job Centre.  She says: “I have so far been involved in invoicing and ringing clients and also helping with organising local business events. This is working out very well for me as I am here four days a week and on the other day I’m attending a practical management course. The experience I gain here will aid my management roles in the future.”

Nathan Bogle-Brown (22) from South Norwood was also looking for work after having completed an IT diploma. “Since I’ve started here I have been sorting out databases and working on some practical applications,” he says. “I’m hoping to get experience and the confidence for working within an office. This is my first real office job.” When his six-month contract is finished Nathan is planning to pursue a university course in computer science or artificial intelligence.

The project is open to young people from a range of backgrounds. Some will have very little or no work experience, some having only managed the odd few weeks of seasonal work or Saturday jobs. Some will have minimal qualifications. Others will have degrees.

The Future Jobs Fund, funded by the Department of Work and Pensions, is a national initiative being rolled out across the country.