Cornwall has reached over 4000 unemployed young people claiming universal credit which is an enormous increase on usual numbers. Working in partnership with the Department of Work and Pensions in Cornwall we are operating Cornwall’s youth hub. This is to provide a programme to support young people to build skills and harness their passions and help them to imagine a range of different working futures.
Real Ideas is leading on this initiative and we are delivering activity through six-week intensive programmes aimed at young people aged 18-25 years. The DWP have purchased 220 placements on this programme over 6 months and delivery is happening all over Cornwall. There are three themed courses:
- Emerging Creative
- Digital Natives
- Food and Hospitality
It is aimed at individuals who have an interest in these areas and each programme is tailored to provide support to develop the necessary skills to pursue this. All courses are focussed around an enterprise challenge where they pitch the idea to industry professionals at the end of the six weeks.
There is a strong focus on skills development and throughout the enterprise challenge young people work as a team to understand all aspects of how a business can operate.
They get the opportunity to gain digital badges and specifically, a ‘kickstart ready’ meta-badge which employers of kickstart placements will be able to view on the individual’s CV.