COMMUNITY TRUST TO KICKSTART LOCAL EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT PROGRAMME

Dundee United Community Trust is delighted to have been successful in applying to be a “Gateway Employer” for the UK Governments’ Kickstart Scheme which provides funding to create new job placements for 16 to 24 year olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long term unemployment.

This will see DUCT create up to 30 new job placements created for local young people at risk of long-term unemployment.  There are a variety of posts being created at the Trust and a local partner including administrative assistant, assistant community coach, media assistant and project assistant.  Each job placement lasts for 6 months and the young people will be given extensive employability support from the Trust to help secure a positive destination after the placement.  This will include things like CV and covering letter creation, future job search support, mock interviews and formal training opportunities linked to the placement role. 

Jamie Kirk, Chief Executive for the Trust, commented: “Being selected as a gateway employer is a real feather in our cap and allows us to play a key role locally in improving employability outcomes for young people as we work through the recovery from Covid-19.  We like to think the Trust is a great place to work and we’ve developed exciting placements that we’re sure will provide an enjoyable and valuable experience.” 

The Community Trust is already committed to providing employment and employability support to local young people through the delivery of CLD United.  Working with Community Learning and Development, every year local young people receive hundreds of hours of employability support, training, volunteering opportunities as well as paid work which is delivered through the vehicle of peer-led diversionary activity.  This approach has demonstrated the value that young people can add to the local community when they are given a chance coupled with the right support. 

Jamie added, “becoming a Kickstart employer was a natural next step for us and we have set ambitious plans to increase our local impact on employability in the coming months and years.” 

The first placement position is for an administrative assistant and is about to go live in the coming days.  Only those aged 16-24 and in receipt of Universal Credit are eligible and applications must be made via the Job Centre.  We would encourage anyone interested to speak to their job coach to discuss making an application.  The Trust is not able to take applications directly for these placements.