Josh MacAlister MP has visited the site of Workington’s new Youth Hub, which will soon open its doors to help more young people across West Cumbria find work, training and new opportunities.
The hub will be based in the new home of Cumbria Youth Alliance in Workington town centre, bringing together local youth organisations with employment, education and wellbeing support under one roof.
The visit comes shortly after Josh launched his NEET Zero campaign at the Festival of Work alongside Skills Minister Baroness Jacqui Smith, setting out an ambition to make West Cumbria the best place in the country for young people to move into employment, education or training.
The new Youth Hub will play a key role in delivering that ambition by bringing together Jobcentre work coaches, employers, training providers and local support services in a welcoming community setting. Youth Hubs are designed to provide joined-up support with everything from finding a job or apprenticeship to accessing mental health, housing and wellbeing services. The Government is expanding the network to more than 360 locations across Great Britain so every young person has somewhere local to turn for help.
Josh said:
“No young person in West Cumbria should feel that opportunity isn’t there for them.
“When I launched my NEET Zero campaign, I said I wanted us to become a place where every young person has a clear route into work, education or training. The existing Youth Hub in Whitehaven and this new Youth Hub in Workington are an important step towards making that happen.
“What I like about this model is that it brings everything together in one place. Instead of expecting young people to navigate different organisations and services on their own, the support comes to them. Whether it’s finding an apprenticeship, getting help with a CV, meeting employers or accessing wider support, they’ll be able to get it here.
“I’m also really excited about this as a new home for Cumbria Youth Alliance. They already do fantastic work supporting young people across our communities, and this gives them an even stronger base from which to reach those who need them most.”
The visit also highlighted the wider support now being rolled out by the Government to help young people into employment.
Alongside the expansion of Youth Hubs, businesses can now receive a £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant for employing eligible 18 to 24-year-olds, while apprenticeship incentives have been increased and Jobcentres are providing enhanced personalised support to help young people into sustained employment. Together, these measures form part of the Government’s £2.5 billion Youth Guarantee, ensuring every young person has the opportunity to earn or learn.
Josh MacAlister MP 