Tackling youth unemployment in Hinckley and Bosworth

Local Liberal Democrats have welcomed Liberal Democrat Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg's recent announcement of a £1 billion pound Youth Contract to tackle youth unemployment. The Youth Contract aims to ensure that all jobless young people are earning or learning again before long-term damage is done.

In Hinckley and Bosworth 585 18-24 year olds are currently in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance and would stand to benefit from the Youth Contract.

Starting next April, the Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new work places nationally for 18 to 24 year olds into work over the next three years. This includes 160,000 wage subsidies and 250,000 new work experience placements.

A new programme will help 16 and 17 year olds who are not in employment, education or training. This will help the most disengaged of the 10,000 young people not in employment, education or training in the East Midlands get back to school or college, onto an apprenticeship or into a job with training.

In addition, there will be at least 20,000 more incentive payments to encourage employers to take on young apprentices in England.

Commenting, Cllr Michael Mullaney, Lib Dem parliamentary spokesman for Hinckley and Bosworth said:

"The "Youth Contract" will help solve the problem of youth unemployment in our area. The launch of these schemes, coupled with the recent news of a massive increase in apprenticeships in Hinckley and Bosworth, gives hope for young people in our area.

" In these difficult times Liberal Democrats are doing the right thing and making sure we help those who need it most.

"If young people are out of work, the consequences of that will be felt for decades afterwards. We need to ensure that the young people of today do not have a false start.

"The Youth Contract will help those who need it most through advice, support, training and by giving people in Hinckley and Bosworth the experience necessary to be successful in the work place.

"While we're clearing up the economic mess that Labour left behind, the Coalition Government is ensuring that youth do not bear the consequences of Labour's mistakes.

"As a Liberal Democrat, I am proud that the Coalition Government is doing the right thing to prevent another lost generation."

Commenting further, Deputy Prime Minister, Nick Clegg said:

"Youth unemployment is an economic waste and a slow-burn social disaster.

"We can't lose the skills and talent of our young people - right when we need them most.

We can't afford to leave our young men and women on the scrap heap. We need the next generation to help us build a new economy.

"The aim of the Youth Contract is to get every unemployed young person working or learning again before long-term damage is done.

"This is a £1bn package and what's different about it is that it gets young people into proper, lasting jobs in the private sector."

ENDS