New Initiative to boost Youth Employment launched

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council announces new initiative to boost youth employment in East Surrey

22 February 2021

A new initiative, funded by the Department of Work and Pensions and developed in partnership by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council and Tandridge District Council, will launch on 1 March to help target the significant increase in unemployment among 18-24 year olds across East Surrey since the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The new ‘East Surrey Youth Hub’ aims to support the hundreds of young residents claiming Universal Credit in the area, providing access to a wide range of coaching, mentoring and soft skills development, tailored to meet their career aspirations.

Reigate & Banstead Borough Council leads on the project in partnership with Tandridge District Council with funding from the Department of Work and Pensions through its Flexible Support Fund. A ‘hub team’ has been recruited to work on the project for an initial 12-month term and the initiative will be managed via ‘one-stop-shop’ employment hubs of co-located service providers at the Harlequin Cinema & Theatre in Redhill and Quadrant House in Caterham through a mixture of online and face-to-face support depending on Covid-19 restrictions.

As well as helping young people overcome barriers to employment, the team will enlist the support of local employers to offer coaching, mentoring, work placements, apprenticeships and potential employment opportunities. Partnerships with local colleges and training providers will also deliver vocational skills training programmes, majoring on areas where there are known skills gaps.

Councillor Eddy Humphreys, Executive Member for Business and Economy, said: “We know how important it is to support our young residents through this very volatile period. The East Surrey Youth Hub initiative will allow us to help shape employability skills while connecting young people with local businesses that have the right types of opportunities to support career growth. Supporting young people to grow their skills in sustainable industries now, will lead to better, more stable careers into the future.”

Today’s announcement follows the launch of two new local employment websites by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council.  Reigate & Banstead Works [www.rb-works.co.uk] has been designed to showcase local employers and employment opportunities for working age people in the borough as well as signposting to employments skills resources. Start Reigate & Banstead [www.rb.startprofile.com] is a new digital careers platform for young people in secondary and further education which provides information, advice and tools to support students as they explore and plan for their future career.  The website is being rolled out in schools and colleges across the borough.