[holding answer 14 September 2009]: As part of the Department’s commitment to support people into work, substantial investment has been made since November 2008 to offer extra support to jobseekers to help them find work at all stages of their claim.
An enhanced offer to all jobseekers at day one of their claim includes targeted group sessions in jobsearch techniques, access to Local Employment Partnership vacancies and help with the costs of getting back to work through the Adviser Discretionary Fund.
At the six-month point of their claim, all jobseekers now receive a substantial package of extra support including access to recruitment subsidies, work-focused training places, volunteering opportunities and support to become self-employed.
We have also targeted significant resource on people under age 25 in recognition of the particular challenges young people face during a recession. These measures are designed to prevent, wherever possible, young people experiencing prolonged spells of unemployment early in their working lives.
On 29 July, the Government launched a campaign called Backing Young Britain, calling on businesses, charities and Government bodies to create more opportunities for young people, such as internships, mentoring support and coaching. As part of this campaign, all young people will receive additional adviser support and can be put forward for a work trial from day one of unemployment. We are also working with businesses to increase graduate internships and to develop work experience and mentoring support for young jobseekers.
In early 2010, young people will be able to benefit from the Young Person’s Guarantee which guarantees a job, work-focused training, or meaningful activity to all 18 to 24-year-olds before they have reached the 12-month stage of their claim to jobseeker’s allowance. This offer will become mandatory from April 2010.
The Future Jobs Fund, one key element of the Young Person’s Guarantee, will create at least 100,000 jobs for young people aged between 18 and 24. The first jobs will be available from October 2009 for customers approaching the 10-month point in their claim.
If young people remain on benefits at the 12-month stage, they will be referred to the provider-led Flexible New Deal programme (in phase 1 areas) and will benefit from work-focused support, tailored to the individual’s needs and local labour market requirements.
In phase 2 areas at the 12-month stage, jobseekers will be participating in one of the New Deal Options. If they remain unemployed following this programme, jobseekers will move into the Follow-Through Stage of the New Deal and receive more frequent, targeted adviser support.
Help is also available for 16 and 17-year-olds. The September Guarantee was introduced in 2007 to ensure that every young person leaving compulsory education at 16 receives a suitable offer of a place in learning. It was extended to 17-year-olds in 2008. By the end of 2008, this guarantee helped to support an increase in the proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds participating in learning to 88 per cent., the highest ever rate. The proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds not in employment, education or training (NEET) fell for the third consecutive year, and only 5.2 per cent. of 16-year-olds were NEET, the lowest rate for more than a decade.
Furthermore, the Government are delivering record numbers of apprenticeships in England and we expect 250,000 people to start apprenticeships this year.