Oldham businesses have a fresh chance to pull vulnerable 16- to 20-year-olds away from street violence by opening their doors this summer, organisers of the fast-growing Summer Jobs Programme said today.

The Greater Manchester town is being targeted as the scheme—piloted last year on 400 teenagers across London, the West Midlands and Manchester—doubles in size and searches for 600 placements in six regions. Employers who sign up before the July launch will receive five weeks of fully-funded summer cover after a week of pre-work coaching delivered by youth workers who stay on call throughout.

“Last summer was huge: confidence soared and employability skills stuck,” UK Youth head of network delivery Thora Eberts said. “We now need more bosses ready to mentor and supervise a vulnerable young person in a safe, supported way. You gain extra staff and the chance to do genuine good.”

Timpson, Veolia and Morgan Sindall were among last year’s backers, with 82 per cent rating the experience “satisfactory” or better and four in five willing to rejoin. Burger King kept more than half of its 21 placements on permanent contracts. One supervisor recalled a shy recruit who “came out of his shell” while another noted: “I’ve definitely seen him grow in maturity and confidence… it comes from being trusted and paid well.”

The programme, modelled on a decade-old Chicago initiative, is part of a national study into cutting youth violence funded by the Youth Endowment Fund, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Youth Futures Foundation. Alongside Oldham, new recruitment is under way in Middlesbrough, South Wales and South Yorkshire.

---

Source: Read original article