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News9 July 2021

First 100 young people start Kickstart placements delivered by consortium led by Clarion Housing Group

There are 314 six-month placements available at Clarion as part of the Kickstarter programme.   

Following the announcement earlier in the year that Clarion Housing Group had secured funding from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to create hundreds of job placements for unemployed 16-24 year-olds under the Kickstart Scheme, the first young people have started in their roles.

As part of the programme, Clarion will be offering six-month placements for 314 young people and to date 60 have joined the Group as part of the Scheme under which the government pays 100% of the national minimum wage.

The new starters are working in teams from marketing and customer services to IT and Clarion Futures, the charitable foundation of Clarion Housing Group. Clarion Futures will provide in-work support and training throughout their placements, as well as helping them identify routes to progression.

Additionally, the Kickstart Housing Partnership led by Clarion has recently welcomed some new members including The Guinness Partnership, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH) and Golding Homes.

Hundreds of placements available

The Kickstart Housing Partnership now comprises 84 organisations from the public, private and voluntary sectors, including 58 from the housing sector, and will be offering hundreds of six-month placements as part of the Scheme.

To date, across the consortium more than 100 young people have started their placements with organisations nationwide working in a wide range of fields.

“We’re proud to be leading the sector’s response to youth unemployment.”

Clare Miller, chief executive of Clarion Housing Group

Clare Miller, chief executive of Clarion Housing Group, said:

“We’re very pleased to have welcomed the first cohort of ‘Kickstarters’ to roles at Clarion."

“Young people have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, so it’s more important than ever for organisations to come together to help them access opportunities and fulfil their potential."

“One of our Kickstarters has already been successful in securing a permanent role at Clarion and I am optimistic they will be the first of many. We’re proud to be leading the sector’s response to youth unemployment and would support any proposals to extend the Kickstart Scheme beyond the end of the year as we can see how much of a difference it’s making already.”

To apply for a Kickstart role being offered through the Kickstart Housing Partnership, you need to be aged 16-24, living in England or Wales and on Universal Credit. Applications are made via work coaches at Job Centre Plus locations.

The 84 consortium members