Council Leads Scheme to Reduce Employment Barriers for Young People

Stirling Council is leading on a new programme aiming to reduce employment barriers for a generation of young people.

The Young Person’s Guarantee scheme was launched by the Scottish Government in November 2020 to protect young people from the economic impact of COVID-19.

The scheme aims to give all young people aged 16-24 the chance to succeed through a job, an apprenticeship, education, training or volunteering.

Stirling Council has received £500,000 funding to deliver support locally on behalf of the Scottish Government, building on its ongoing commitment to closing the gap for young people in the area.

The Covd-19 pandemic created a uniquely challenging period for Stirling’s young people, who responded with outstanding commitment and resilience to achieve high levels of attainment in last year’s SQA results.

The Young Person’s Guarantee scheme will help Stirling’s young people achieve their goals and ambitions, with support delivered in partnership with NHS Forth Valley, Forth Valley College, Developing the Young Workforce, Stirlingshire Voluntary Enterprise, Stirling Community Enterprise and a number of local third sector organisations.

Stirling Council Senior Manager, Economic Development and Communities, Stuart Oliver, said: “The importance of investing in the next generation has never been greater as we deal with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“It is absolutely vital that that our young people can live, work, learn and achieve all they want here in the Stirling.

“We are committed to helping our young people through these difficult times by creating opportunities and providing career help, while also supporting our employers to build their future workforce.”

Key aspects of the programme will include:

1. Support which reduces young people’s barriers to employment because of a disability or learning difficulty, health inequality, poor mental health and wellbeing, criminal conviction or offending behaviour.
2. An employer recruitment incentive supporting local businesses to employ a young person and provide access to training.
3. A new job placement scheme for local young people.
4. Provision of accredited learning and training programmes supporting young people to gain qualifications.
5. Volunteer work programme supporting young people to develop skills.
6. Access to digital devices and data for vulnerable young people.

If you’d like to find out more about the Young Person’s Guarantee in Stirling, please contact learningandemployability@stirling.gov.uk