YOUNG people across Redcar and Cleveland could soon see a world of opportunities open up for them after schools and businesses signed up this week to delivering a new ‘Young People’s Entitlement’.
Created by Redcar & Cleveland Foundation for Jobs (FFJ), the ‘Young People’s Entitlement’ is an agreement between secondary schools and local businesses to do more to help improve the number of pupils finding work at the end of their time in education.
Its aim is to give all 11-to-16-year-olds in the borough a much more effective preparation for the world of work and increase their access to the workplace. It also aims to provide better opportunities for them to meet with, and get support from, employers in order to improve their employability skills and work readiness and enhance their future job prospects.
Professor Graham Henderson, Chair of the Redcar & Cleveland Foundation for Jobs, said: “The ‘Entitlement’ represents the culmination of a significant amount of consultation between education providers and employers about how best to prepare young people for the world of work. When implemented, it will deliver a step-change in the opportunities available to our young people, who are, the key to our future economic success.
“There is already a lot of excellent work taking place across the borough, but there is still more to be done, with the help of the business community, to make sure that all of our young people are giving sufficient consideration to: what work will be like, and how they can best prepare themselves for the kind of job they would really like to do when they finish their education.”
Also supporting the entitlement is the Education Improvement Partnership (EIP), the consortium of all of the secondary schools and academies in the borough, who have given their unanimous commitment to supporting its delivery for the benefit of all of their students.
Lee Brown, Vice-Chair of the Redcar and Cleveland EIP, said: “Life has never been so tough for our young people. This entitlement for all young people in Redcar and Cleveland gives them a fantastic opportunity to achieve their goals. The collaboration between schools and local employers will ensure that our young people are better prepared and equipped than their peers in other Local Authorities. This is a fantastic opportunity that should be celebrated by young people, parents, schools and employers.”
Councillor Carl Quartermain, Cabinet Member for Jobs, Skills, and Leisure at Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council, said: “The support given to the Young people’s entitlement is very positive to see, the council is committed to providing the best opportunities for young people in Redcar and Cleveland to reach their potential.
“I hope all schools in the borough will make the most of the hard work done by everyone working in the Foundation for Jobs team and encourage their pupils to improve their employment skills.
“I would also urge businesses to support the entitlement by offering their time, or work experience opportunities, to pupils.”
To find out more about Foundation for Jobs go to www.ffjobs.co.uk, email contact@ffjobs.co.uk or call 01642 444666.