Manchester Athena secures 250 jobs for young people through the Kickstart scheme

Manchester Athena has been successful in securing funding for Kickstart, a scheme created by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), aiming to create jobs for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. Thirteen housing providers from the Athena partnership will be involved in the scheme.

The successful bid was for 106 job roles which have been created across a variety of disciplines and will lead to 250 jobs being created for young people during the twelve months of the scheme.

DWP created the Kickstart Scheme which allows employers and gateway organisations to bid for grant funding to create new employment opportunities. One Manchester was selected by Athena members to perform the function of the Gateway Organisation and who will offer over twenty job roles within One Manchester. In addition, twelve other Athena Housing Providers have also offered job roles totalling over 100.

The Kickstart Scheme aligns with Manchester Athena’s mission to work collaboratively with all the partner housing providers to deliver training, employment and other initiatives across Greater Manchester and the North West to reduce inequality and poverty. The scheme is a good example of partnership working making a positive difference to people’s lives and creating opportunities. Karen Mitchell, Chair of the Athena Board, said:

“Athena’s mission is to transform lives across Greater Manchester and Kickstart is supporting this mission. The jobs created will provide and develop valuable work-based and employability skills for young people within our communities, who are currently at risk of long-term unemployment. We hope many of the job roles will also lead to long-term employment within our partner organisations.”

Notes to editor:

• Manchester Athena was formed in 2013 by housing providers in Greater Manchester to deliver training, employment and other initiatives across Greater Manchester and the North West of England to reduce inequality and poverty. Made up of 17 partners.
  Find out more: https://manchesterathena.co.uk/

• Kickstart is a national scheme providing funding (from the DWP) to create new jobs for 16 to 24-year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers 100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months. Employers of all sizes can apply for funding spreading the start date of the job placements up until the end of December 2021.
  Find out more: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/kickstart-scheme

For further information, please contact:
Verity Calderbank
Head of Marketing & Communications
Stockport Homes Group   
Tel: 0161 474 2863