£4.6m funding boost to deliver 1,000 jobs for region’s youth

The partnership – consisting of 11 Yorkshire councils – successfully bid for the Government grant to help tackle youth unemployment.

And today, it was revealed that the cash will be channelled towards creating more than 1,160 jobs for 18 to 24-year-olds.

Project leaders today hailed the investment as a welcome boost to the “vital steps we mean to take” to continue the region’s economic recovery.

Roger Marsh, chairman of the Leeds City Region LEP (local enterprise partnership) Board said: “Whilst the economic recovery in the region is looking positive, we need to strengthen our offer to young people which in turn will enable job creation.

“The LEP’s bid to Government signals that supporting our young people is a priority for the Leeds City Region and I am delighted that the Government have recognised the vital steps we mean to take.”

The Leeds City Region partnership brings together 11 local authorities – Barnsley; Bradford; Calderdale; Craven; Harrogate; Kirklees; Leeds; Selby; Wakefield, York and North Yorkshire County Council – to drive economic growth, and boost jobs and infrastructure.

There are currently more than 23,000 unemployed 18 to 24-year-olds in the region claiming Jobseekers’ Allowance (JSA). Around 10,000 of those have been receiving benefits for more than six months.

However newly released figures also show that the overall number of people claiming JSA fell by more than 500 in Leeds alone last month.

The new funding will build on the agreement of the City Deal with the Government last July.

It will be used to provide targeted support for at-risk and long-term unemployed young people. It will also fund the delivery of a pilot scheme to look at the role that Employment Agencies can play in helping young people into work. A new Young Ambassador Scheme is also among the new priorities.

The investment is part of a major billion-pound pot of cash being offered by the Government for cities to invest over the next three years.

Coun Keith Wakefield, leader of Leeds City Council and a member of the Leeds City Region LEP Board, said: “Every young person in our region should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“Unfortunately, if we do not make real progress in tackling youth unemployment we risk wasting the talent and potential of thousands of our young people.

“Ensuring that young people have the skills employers in this region need will not only boost our economy and help businesses thrive, it will make a huge difference to tackling persistent inequalities that blight many of our communities. For that reason tackling youth unemployment must remain the key priority for Leeds City Region.”

Announcing the funding, deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “Helping young people succeed is crucial to our economic recovery.

“That is why I am pleased to announce a Government investment of £4.6m for the Leeds City Region to help get more young people into jobs.

“This is a multi-million pound cash boost for the Leeds City Region to invest in its young people, making our society fairer so that everyone has the chance to get on in life.

“Investment like this, paired with a determination to tackle youth unemployment by our great cities, has the genuine power to change the fortunes of young people across the region, whether it’s with extra training or improving education or apprenticeships.”