Suffolk youngsters will benefit from almost £100,000 granted by a government support scheme to help them find first jobs and reach their full potential.
Inspire charity has been appointed by East Suffolk Council to deliver the Personal Development Service, funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
With funding of £95,625, the Suffolk leading youth charity will be able to help young people who are facing complex challenges that are holding them back from entering the workforce.
The new free service is specifically designed to support 16–25-year-olds who are furthest from work, including those who are facing multiple barriers to employment such as homelessness, special educational needs and disabilities, lack of educational attainment and mental health issues.
Inspire’s experienced team of professionals will work with them to provide mentoring, coaching and skills training, which will be available face-to-face in the Lowestoft centre as well as online and over the phone.
Jackie Partridge, the youth engagement manager at Inspire, said that the service will be a “game-changer” for young people who are unsure of what the future holds for them.
She added: “We believe that everyone deserves the opportunity to reach their full potential, and our new service will further enhance our existing services, helping us to achieve this goal.”
Councillor Craig Rivett of East Suffolk Council added: "One of the key aims of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is supporting skills training to boost employment opportunities and life chances.
"Inspire's Personal Development Service fits the bill perfectly, by delivering support to those sometimes hard to reach people not in employment, education or training.
"It means they take control of their own lives by securing a pathway into employment and, ultimately, a better future.
"In turn, by reducing the number of people out of work, we can tackle wider inequalities and stand to benefit as a society in the long term."
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