Department for Work and Pensions
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Hitting the ground running future jobs fund open for business

Hitting the ground running future jobs fund open for business

DEPARTMENT FOR WORK AND PENSIONS News Release (149/09) issued by COI News Distribution Service on 28 April 2009

The Government today challenged councils, charities and other organisations to submit innovative bids for funding for new jobs from the £1bn Future Jobs Fund which will create 150,000 new jobs.

National sports organisations have already pledged to bid for at least 5,000 jobs for young people, including sports coaches, swimming and fitness instructors, and other active leisure posts. The jobs will help to deliver the Government's Olympic legacy commitments, including offering 5 hours a week of PE and sport for every child.

Today, Ministers are visiting organisations across the country to call on them to submit innovative bids for jobs that will make Britain a better place and improve their local community. This could include sports coaching, crime prevention, tourism and working with children.

Speaking at a visit to the London Nautical School, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions James Purnell said:

"Today national sports organisations across the country have pledged to bid for at least 5,000 jobs for young people from the Future Jobs Fund. We are confident this will be the first of many bids from public and third sector organisations for the £1bn fund that provides six month, salaried jobs.

"I am calling on sports bodies, local councils, third sector groups and others to bid for funding for new jobs and help us make sure that we do not waste the talents of a generation of Britain's young people.

"We want to hear your ideas of what jobs of the future we can deliver today. So log onto to http://www.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/futurejobsfund and start telling us what jobs you can deliver that will make your community better and help give long term unemployed people the chance to experience the pride and purpose of work."

Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Andy Burnham said:

"There is nothing better than sport to inspire young people to believe in themselves and help give them a sense of hope for the future. This exciting new scheme will enable young people to transfer the skills they can learn from sport into the work place, while helping to deliver more sport in schools and the community to help fulfil our Olympic ambitions."

Last week's budget delivered an extra £3.1bn to help people looking for work. Through this package, the Government will fund 250,000 public and private sector jobs, with 150,000 new jobs created through the Future Jobs Fund and 100,000 in the sectors which will help Britain grow such as green jobs, social care and hospitality.

The Government has already started working with councils and voluntary groups on developing new jobs through the Future Jobs Fund that will come on stream in the autumn. By January next year, every 18 to 24 year old who is approaching 12 months unemployment or more will be guaranteed a new job, training or paid work experience place.

On top of the £1bn committed to guaranteeing young unemployed work and training, an additional £1.7bn will be invested in more help for all jobseekers, through Jobcentre Plus and the Flexible New Deal, which gives people out of work for more than a year intensive help through private or voluntary providers.

Since the start of the financial crisis the Government has invested £5bn into giving real help to people looking for work.

Note to editors

1 A new Future Jobs Fund will provide funding for 150,000 jobs that will come on line from the autumn, and will be paid at least at National Minimum Wage. These will be targeted primarily at 18-24 year olds, but some will also be available for other disadvantaged groups and unemployment hotspots.

2 In addition, 100,000 jobs will be set aside in growing sectors, again primarily for long term unemployed young people. The jobs will include:

- 50,000 jobs in the caring sector through the establishment of Care First: providing specifically tailored pathways into social care jobs, with a £1500 recruitment subsidy offered for sustained employment and training.

- 50,000 jobs (with pre-employment training and £2000 recruitment subsidy) dedicated to other growth sectors, such as hospitality - it will be a flexible fund so we can help stimulate demand for jobs and give young people a start in careers that will expand in the future.

3 The guarantee, which will be fully in place by early 2010, will include training places lasting up to six months plus community work placements for those who don't take up the other options, so no one is left to languish on benefits without real help to improve skills.

4 Organisations can visit http://www.dwp.gov.uk/campaigns/futurejobsfund to express interest in bidding for jobs.

Media Enquiries: 0203 267 5144

Website: http://www.dwp.gov.uk

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