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Bradshaw announces jobs boost for young people
More than 600 new jobs in the cultural, creative and sport sectors were announced by Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw today, in a range of projects aimed at getting young people out of unemployment and onto the first rung of the career ladder.
Future Jobs Fund money is today confirmed for jobs around England and Wales in sectors as diverse as theatres and music venues, digital archiving, media production and the furthering the Olympic sporting legacy.
Ben Bradshaw said:
“I am very pleased to announce today 624 new jobs in the sport and cultural sectors, the latest in a total of 10,000 we will be funding in these sectors through the Future Jobs Fund.
“And these are great jobs – jobs in sectors that can be really tough to break into, that are usually the preserve of better off children whose parents have the contacts to get them a foot in the door.
“This £5m announcement will ensure that help goes where it is really needed, to young people who might otherwise be in danger of falling into long term unemployment. By getting people into skilled work we are investing in future generations.”
DCMS has today confirmed funding for:
•200 jobs nationwide, lead by Creative and Cultural Skills. Government funding will create a range of positions in cultural organisations and community venues including theatres and live music venues, with roles ranging from community arts practitioner to event management, technical operations, marketing and communications.
•142 jobs will be created by English Heritage, working on the digitisation of 30,000 images of Wiltshire and making them easily accessible to local schools and community groups and over the internet. These jobs will help young people in Swindon to learn about archives; getting hands-on experience with photographic material which will improve their knowledge of the local and national historic environment.
•31 jobs in the London Borough of Newham, working in performing arts venues with training provided by Newham Sixth Form College. Run by New Deal of the Mind, the jobs will be based at the Stratford Circus performing arts venue and include media production assistants, community learning assistants and youth mentors.
•51 jobs working at the National Association of Clubs for Young People, an organisation with a track record of helping young people through participation in sports, creative arts, training and volunteering. Jobs will include activity officers, youth work apprentices and IT staff.
•200 jobs across the West Midlands, co-odinated by the Skills Partnership and making a major contribution towards the region’s Olympics legacy. Working as School Physical Activity Co-ordinators in Birmingham, Walsall, Sandwell, Solihull and Dudley, these jobs involve working alongside teaching staff engaging young people in physical activities in breakfast, lunch and after school clubs.
The Future jobs Fund is a DWP initiative that aims to create 120,000 jobs for young people aged 18- 24 who have been unemployed for 6 months. It forms part of the Young Persons Guarantee and contributes to the Backing Young Britain Campaign.
The DCMS has committed to contributing 10,000 jobs within this, 5,000 in sport and 5,000 in culture.
Minister for Employment Jim Knight said:
"I am delighted that more than 600 of the 2800 jobs announced today are in the cultural, creative and sport sectors - this brings the total number of Future Jobs Fund jobs created so far to 98,000.
"Its great that we have been able to encourage high quality bids from arts and sports organisations and give young people the opportunity to get real jobs and valuable experience in the creative industry - one of the main growth industries of the future.
"Government is working with the public, private and voluntary sectors to create these job opportunities as part of our Backing Young Britain campaign helping young people get a foot on the career ladder."
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