On Friday 20th April 2018, local MPs, the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP) and the Norfolk Chamber of Commerce came together to launch new job campaigns in three key areas across Norfolk.
First thing that morning, Sir Henry Bellingham, MP for North West Norfolk launched West Norfolk for Jobs in King’s Lynn, followed by George Freeman, MP for Mid Norfolk in Dereham launching Breckland for Jobs and finally, Elizabeth Truss, MP for South West Norfolk also launched Breckland for Jobs in Thetford.
The two campaigns aim to help young people aged between 18 to 24 secure work, which will help the local economies, build better communities and reduce youth unemployment.
In West Norfolk 1,021 young people are claiming some form of benefit and are without a job; In Thetford it is 383; and in Dereham it is 531 – West Norfolk for Jobs and Breckland for Jobs are looking to halve these figures.
Julia Nix, DWP District Manager for East Anglia said:
“We are aiming to get employers and businesses to really think about how they can help a young person into work. It could be as simple as an hour to do a mock interview or a big thing such as work experience or an apprenticeship. All these things will be a huge difference to helping people get a job.”
Nova Fairbank, Public Affairs Manager for Norfolk Chamber said:
“We are very privileged to be asked to support both the West Norfolk for Jobs and the Breckland for Jobs campaigns and we want to help make them successful. We believe that the local business community is the key to achieving this. There are many ways in which businesses can get involved and we are asking them to offer their services no matter how large or small their contributions. This is a great opportunity for local businesses to support young people in their area and perhaps help create their future workforce.”
Can your business help?
Could you support a young person by offering mock interviews, CV advice, information and advice on your industry? The initiatives will also be able to help you find suitable candidates to apply for any apprenticeship or jobs you need to fill.
If you would like more information on how you can get involved, please contact:
Nova Fairbank on Email: [email protected] or Call: 01603 729 713.
