New 'Youth Hub' launches in Liverpool to help young people get into employment

Young people in South Liverpool are to receive extra support to help them get into employment through the launch of a ‘Youth Hub’ that opened its doors this week in Garston.

A unique partnership between independent training and education Employability Solutions, housing provider South Liverpool Homes (SLH) and Speke Education and Training Centre will ensure young people aged between 18-24 are able to access the training and employment opportunities that are available in the area.

The Hub will offer up to 100 young people who are out of work an intensive mentoring programme where they will receive support and advice to help them access or move closer towards employment.

Speke Education and Training Centre

Young people will be connected to local organisations who can provide support with CV’s, interview preparation, jobs, apprenticeships as well as helping them to build resilience during these uncertain times.

With funding secured through the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Flexible Support Fund (FSF) grant, SLH have joined up with Employability Solutions who will deliver the programme from their base at the ACE Centre in Garston, at Speke Training and Education Centre and at ‘Reach’ (SLH’s employability hub).

Over the next 12 months, the hub will bring together partners from across the Liverpool region who will help improve the employment prospects of long-term unemployed young people, help them overcome barriers to employment and subsequently secure employment in the area.

Youth Hub Manager, Louise Worrall, who has been employed to deliver this programme, is excited about what this means for young people in South Liverpool:

“The hub will play a vital role in providing young people with the valuable skills they need to help them into employment and secure opportunities that they may not have been able to access before.”

“The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in large-scale job losses and this, coupled with reduced training opportunities, has hit young people in the South Liverpool area hard. We hope the hub will help raise their aspirations, give them practical support and help address any wellbeing issues that may prevent them applying for opportunities.

“Over the next few weeks, sessions will be delivered remotely due to government guidelines, however we are looking forward to opening our doors fully so that young people can have the face-to-face, 1-2-1 support they need.”

Joe Cummings, SLH’s Enterprise Manager said:

“Since the launch of our employability hub ‘Reach’ in 2016, we have had a real focus on the provision of training and support to our communities. This new partnership extends that with a clear offer to support young people into employment at what is an economically challenging time.

“Through funding from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) and building on our collaborative work with Employability Solutions, we are delighted that this provision is being offered from a base in Garston which will benefit from the established partnership work already happening at Reach.”

“We are looking forward to working closely with Employability Solutions to ensure the success of the Youth Hub which will play a key part in supporting young people who have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, to access the job market.”