Issue - meetings

YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT TASK AND FINISH GROUP- RECOMMENDATIONS

 

 

Meeting: 14/09/2012 - Children and Young People's Trust (Item 5.)

5. Information / AOB pdf icon PDF 140 KB

Additional documents:

Meeting: 12/07/2012 - Cabinet (Item 21)

21 TASK AND FINISH GROUP GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY PANEL - YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT pdf icon PDF 132 KB

The report of the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel Task and Finish Group will be submitted. 

 

Councillor Nicholson (Chair of the Task and Finish Group and Chair of the Growth and Prosperity Overview and Scrutiny Panel) has been invited to attend Cabinet to present the report.

 

The report of Anthony Payne (Director for Place) on the recommendations will also be submitted.

 

Minutes:

Councillor Mrs Aspinall, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, submitted recommendations of the growth and prosperity task and finish group into youth unemployment.

 

It was reported that –

 

(a)   due to the current economic climate youth unemployment was an issue of high priority, with young people making up a third of job Seekers Allowance claimants’;

 

(b)  the report highlighted issues of confusion amongst partners due to the number of groups contributing to the skills and employability agenda;

 

(c)   the experience of young people undertaking jobs searches had not been positive.

 

In response to the issues raised in the report, Councillor Williams reported that –

 

(d)  the work undertaken by the task and finish group was positive and had provided strong recommendations;

 

(e)  Councillor Danny Damarell had been appointed the City’s champion for youth unemployment;

 

(f)    work was underway with schools and employers to ensure the careers advice offer was the right one.

 

The Leader commented that the recommendations of the Task and Finish Group would also be considered as part of the Employment Task Force. 

 

Cabinet agreed that –

 

(1)  the responsibility for matters of employability should rest with the Plymouth Growth Board and its relevant sub groups, that progress reports should be sent to scrutiny and that a non-cabinet councillor be appointed Champion for Youth Unemployment;

 

(2)  theWorklessness Sub Group should find ways of bringing employers and employment agencies closer together to improve the communication of available opportunities. Greater engagement between employers, employment agencies, educational establishments and associated bodies to be facilitated by the Council in an effort to forge greater understanding of the requirements of each sector and develop an excellent working relationship;

 

(3)  Human Resources should look at increasing the scope of apprenticeships available within the organisation, and the Apprenticeship Co-ordinator post should be extended beyond the current twelve month period;

 

(4)  the Worklessness Sub Group should establish a task and finish group to develop and implement a “1000 jobs in 1000 companies” initiative.