Good Practice: How a scheme in Camden is helping to get young people into work
Friday, April 1, 2011
An innovative project is working with local businesses to help get young people relevant work placements, apprenticeships or jobs.
Project Inmidtown's Employment Brokerage Scheme
Funding £40,000 a year. It is jointly funded by Inmidtown and Camden Council
Purpose To reduce youth unemployment in Camden
Background With youth unemployment in Camden, north London, at its highest rates last year since comparable records began in 1992, Camden Council was seeking innovative ways to help get more young people into work and training. Its solution was to approach Inmidtown, the business improvement district (Bid) for Holborn, Bloomsbury and St Giles. Bids are public-private partnerships that see businesses in a certain area pay extra tax or a fee to fund local improvements, and with 560 members Inmidtown was ideally placed to understand the local job market and opportunities for employment.
Action Camden and Inmidtown went on to establish an Employment Brokerage Scheme, which has been up and running since October last year with a full-time job broker in place. The scheme works with unemployed people of all ages living within the borough but 16- to 24-year-olds are a key target. It receives referrals through a range of organisations working with young people not in employment, education or training and tries to find them relevant work placements, apprenticeships or jobs.
The job broker liaises with local businesses to find out what opportunities are available and then works with different agencies to identify potential candidates. The broker undertakes an initial screening and then the company interviews the prospective candidate. Tass Mavrogordato, chief executive of Inmidtown, says: "The broker follows up to make sure everything is working out so we don't just leave a young person or employer to get on with it, which is important." The process saves companies time and money in hiring staff and offers young people a first step on the job ladder.
Outcome The project has worked with 49 young people, including many from the traditionally hard-to-reach Bangladeshi community. About a third of people who come into contact with the scheme are of apprenticeship age. Sixty per cent of those have less than five A* to C grades at GCSE, while 85 per cent considering an apprenticeship have only worked in retail before.
By June this year, 15 young people will be in apprenticeships and a further 25 in work experience placements.
