Business West is proud to have created over 230 placements for young people as an official DWP 'Gateway Organisation' in the region and supported businesses to offer quality employment opportunities to young people with meaningful outcomes.
As recently announced by Government the national Kickstart programme is closing for applications mid December 2021. As the application process is quite lengthy Business West are now focusing on filling the outstanding vacancies advertised with DWP and receiving new applications on a case by case basis to the DWP.
If you are interested in Kickstart and are an SME in the West of England our team may be able to offer you additional fully funded support though Workforce for the Future.
How we can help
Business Wests aim is to strengthen the region’s economy by enabling businesses to provide quality job placements to young people.
If you are approved to apply through Business West as your Gateway you will gain access to our comprehensive package of support, which includes:
• A quality bespoke service
• Wrap around employability support for your placement delivered by our trusted partners
• Impartial business support to you as the employer.
£500 of the set-up grant will be retained by Business West to provide the above service, for more details contact us.
If you decide to apply directly to the DWP link we can:
• Support your placements with our employability programme provided through our trusted partners
• Advise how to make a successful application directly to the DWP
The government's £2 billion Kickstart programme was launched to help create hundreds of meaningful jobs for young people aged 16-24, currently claiming Universal Credit. Opportunities have to provide 6-month long employment roles for a minimum of 25 hours per week. The job roles need to provide a genuine learning opportunity for the individual to develop their skills, add skills to their CV, gain confidence to move onto a permanent role.
If your business is able to offer a job opportunity for a young person under the scheme you’ll receive:
• 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and minimum pension costs.
• A contribution towards employer set-up costs, support and training for each candidate placed through the scheme.
Kickstart FAQs
Read our FAQs to help you understand more about the scheme, what is expected and how to get started.
Kickstart Placements
Take a look at the latest placements through the Kickstart scheme.
Kickstart Events Programme
These 1 hour sessions give all the information you need about the Kickstart scheme and the application process.
