Visits give insight into job scheme benefits

They visited the Battery Service Hub in Riverside End, Market Harborough to meet Brooke Smith, office assistant, and Calvin Campbell, warehouse operative, who have been taken on through the Kickstart scheme. They also visited Jake Buytenhuys who has been taken on as a retail assistant by golf shop MB Performance, based at Kibworth Golf Club.

Jake said: “Golf is my passion, it runs in my family, so this is such a nice environment to work in. I am working on the website so this allows me to build on my IT degree; it’s really helping set me up for the future.”

In November 2020, Harborough District Council invited businesses to apply for the Kickstart scheme which provides funding to employers to create job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit. Placements are funded by the Government scheme, giving businesses the chance to take on staff and grow during this difficult time.

So far, 13 young people have started a Kickstart role through the Council’s ‘gateway’ to the scheme and are already gaining valuable work skills and experience with local employers. And more are set to follow over the coming months.

The Council and Harborough Innovation Centre are playing a key role in helping local young people and employers benefit from the opportunity.

Cllr Phil King, Leader of Harborough District Council said: “It was a pleasure to visit the young people who are taking part in this initiative. They are gaining real life experience which is essential to their future progression at this challenging time for the economy. I am pleased the Council has been able to support this scheme to ensure local people have these opportunities.”

Neil O’Brien MP said: “It was great speaking with Brooke, Calvin and Jake and hearing their excellent experiences of the Government’s Kickstart scheme, which is creating high quality placements for young people that will help them gain valuable experience as we start to recover from the pandemic. It’s excellent to see local businesses taking part with support from Harborough District Council.”

If you are a young person interested in a Kickstart placement, speak to your work coach at the job centre and get apply.

Employers are still able to apply to create placements through the scheme. Get in touch with us for more information and support business@harborough.gov.uk 

Pictured top (l-r): Cllr Phil King, MB Performance owner Michael Bent, Jake Buytenhuys, and Neil O’Brien MP at Kibworth Golf Club.

Pictured (l-r): Brooke Smith, Calvin Campbell, Neil O’Brien MP, warehouse manager Matt Coyne, business manager Penny Wallace, and Cllr Phil King at the Battery Service Hub.