A new £5.7m initiative is to be launched across the West Midlands
to help thousands of unemployed young people into work.
Funding for Connect to Work, secured by West Midlands Mayor,
, was approved at the West
Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) Investment Board on Monday,
April 7.
Connect to Work is expected to help up to 1,400 people, aged
18-24 and with health conditions, land jobs during its first
year. The initiative will potentially support thousands more in
the following years.
It will build on the successful Thrive into Work programme
through which nearly 9,800 people have been supported since 2018
to date.
The WMCA will work with its seven constituent councils and
partners to provide tailored support for those young people on
the initiative. It will also work with local businesses to better
understand their workforce needs so young people can be matched
to the right jobs, helping them to stay in employment.
Youth unemployment is more than double the national average in
some areas of the West Midlands with over 26,000 18-24 years olds
claiming some form of unemployment related benefits.
Tackling the issue is a key priority for the Mayor, who last year
launched his Youth Plan to help young people into work.
The Mayor said: “Every person in our region should have the same
to access to work opportunities - including people with
disabilities or long term health conditions.
“By having the same access to opportunities, everyone has the
freedom to make the right choices for them - to help them earn,
live independently and improve their health and wellbeing.
“The funding I have secured for the Connect to Work initiative,
will support young people to do just that - helping to drive down
youth unemployment and get our economy back on track.”
Across the West Midlands there are 27,265 young people in
receipt of Universal Credit, of which 12,660 have health
conditions. Research shows that suitable, good quality
employment can help individuals to better manage their health and
secure workplace support.
The region is one of eight Youth Guarantee Trailblazers in
England focused on supporting young people who are not in
education, employment or training (NEET) as part of the wider
£250m Get Britain Working campaign that was announcement in the
Chancellor's autumn budget.
Get Britain Working aims to trail new ways of getting people into
jobs, bringing together and building on existing support
programmes. It will also collect evidence on how best to tackle
health related economic inactivity.
Combined with Connect to Work this will create a strong offer for
young people and support the Mayor's plan to tackle youth
unemployment in the region.
Information about the government's Get Britain Working
Trailblazer is available here: Biggest employment reforms in a
generation unveiled to Get Britain Working again - GOV.UK
