Communities Minister has
hailed the success of the JobStart programme as hundreds of
employers have applied to take part.
The scheme provides an opportunity for those who are unemployed
or economically inactive and currently claiming working age
benefits to enter the job market through six-month opportunities
with a range of employers across all sectors in Northern Ireland.
Since JobStart launched last month, 385 employers have already
applied to the Scheme offering 1,060 new job opportunities.
Communities Minister
said: “I am delighted JobStart has been so
successful in these early days. It is the biggest jobs programme
of its kind and is already well on its way to reaching more
people and employers than before.
“I have no doubt we will continue to see a high volume of
applications from employers and participants as we continue to
build upon the success of previous JobStart programmes recently
delivered by the Department.”
So far, 125 JobStart employer applications have been approved. At
present there are 102 employers offering 239 positions live on
the Department's JobApplyNI website: www.jobapplyni.com/
The Northern Cricket Union (NCU) previously participated in the
JobStart programme and has recently signed up for the latest
scheme.
NCU Chief Executive Callum Atkinson said: “The Northern Cricket
Union has been proud to work in partnership with the JobStart
Scheme over recent years, and we've seen first-hand the positive
impact it can have on people and on our organisation.
“One of our recent employees began his career with us through the
scheme, going on to progress through several roles in our
organisation, developing both professionally and personally over
a 3 year period, before moving on to pursue his passion for PE
teaching.
“His journey is a great example of how JobStart can inspire
people to discover their area of interest and take the next step
in their careers.
“The scheme has been a great success for us as an employer too,
bringing energy and enthusiasm into our organisation. We're eager
to continue working with JobStart to provide more people with the
opportunity to gain employment, develop their skills and discover
their own passions along the way."
The new JobStart Scheme will support over 1,200 working age
benefit claimants into work, providing support for people across
Northern Ireland to enter and thrive in the labour market.
The programme features two strands, the first offering paid
employment of 25 hours per week for a six-month period at
National Minimum Wage/National Living Wage.
The second strand – aimed at those with recognised additional
barriers to entering the workforce – will offer 15 hours of
employment per week for nine months. Additional flexibility will
be available to enable Work Coaches, across the department's Jobs
and Benefits office network, to tailor the opportunity to the
needs of the individual.
The portal allowing employers to register for the scheme can be
accessed through the Department's website: www.communities-ni.gov.uk/jobstart
JobStart opportunities for participants are now live on
the Department for
Communities' jobapplyni website (www.jobapplyni.com/)
with further opportunities set to be made available in the coming
days and weeks.
Notes to editors:
- The new scheme will allow 1,234 working age benefit claimants
to participate.
- Across the previous JobStart schemes, over 4,000 employer
applications have been approved; more than 3,000 jobseekers
participated on the schemes; with more than 2,000 participants
gaining employment and over 150 moving into education or
training.
- The first JobStart employment scheme was launched as a COVID
response in 2021 to improve the employability and chances of
sustained employment for young people aged 16-24.
- Since the first scheme launched in 2021 the department has
developed additional schemes continually adapting to meet the
changing needs of both employers and jobseekers. Today's launch
sees the widest ranging programme yet, open to claimants of all
ages.
