Agenda item

For Committee members to receive an update in respect of the ‘Kickstart Programme’

The Community Services Manager updated Members of the Finance and Performance Scrutiny Committee on the Department of Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Kickstart Scheme for young people aged 16-24 years which included an outline of the role and responsibilities of the Council as a Gateway body that supports local businesses to access the programme and provided information on the number of Kickstart apprentices offered opportunities within Council services. The Community Services Manager drew Members attention to points 4.10, 4.13, 4.14 and Appendix A & B.

Following the update, Members were provided with the opportunity to ask questions.

Councillor Fox fed back how beneficial the scheme had been and the impact it had on some young people and complimented the Officers and the Community Services Manager, on such an in-depth report.

Councillor Bradwick also noted the good report and said it was encouraging to see the young people getting on and thanked the Officers for the report.

The Chair noted item 3.4 of the report with the DWP data showing that in August 2020 there were 4,333 young people claiming Universal Credit in Rhondda Cynon Taf compared with 2,344 in February 2020, a 100% increase in people going on to effectively lose their jobs from the February to the August. The Chair referenced 3.11 of the report and the list of organisations that assisted in trying to get people back into full time employment, noting that one of them was Bridgend College. The Chair queried if there were any other organisations, external to RCT, that had provided support within Rhondda Cynon Taf, other than those on the list.

The Community Services Manager confirmed the list in front of Members was the whole list. Official figures had not been received from the Job Centre or DWP, but there was around 600 plus job opportunities across RCT that had been offered. The Community Services Manager confirmed that the figures in the report were from the point of view of RCT as the gateway body.

The Chair queried if anybody could have been involved in the scheme e.g.

Coleg y Cymoedd. The Community Services Manager confirmed that there was nothing excluding organisations from applying but there was a criterion to be able to apply to become a gateway body, which had been a lot of work, which might have put some people off applying. Additionally, there was a requirement to have a track record and history of being able to administer grants like this one, and they would carry out a due diligence check as part of the process.

The Chair requested clarity on the figures, noting that from the peak in August 2020 to February 2022, those current figures indicated that 353 people had been found permanent employment or training, from the figure of 4,333.

The Community Services Manager explained that the numbers of young people claiming Universal Credit did increase again in October 2020, so even though the figures shown were August 2020, numbers had continued to increase.  It  was towards the end of 2021 that the numbers had decreased. It could also be, however, that other young people had started claiming Universal Credit in that time, so it could not be said that it was 353 job placements that had reduced that number exactly.

The Chair noted, at item 4.10, that to date, 83 young people from the scheme that RCT had run, had got into training or employment, which was a quarter. The Community Services Manager explained that the 83 young people, referred to in the report, was from Communities for Work, Inspire2Work and Communities for Work Plus mentoring programmes. Other young people across RCT have gone in to work and out of the 200 plus placements offered, only 43 remained unfilled vacancies. So over 200 young people had gone in to work placements from what been offered by local employers, through RCT gateway. But through the RCT mentoring schemes the young people being mentored on those programmes, 83 had managed to get jobs through this scheme.

The Chair felt that this was important as there would be people who would look at the figures, and say it wasn’t much of an impact, however it was important to consider the number, percentage wise, of what RCT had provided. The Chair felt that anyone that could be assisted to get off Universal Credit, into employment, was always a plus, due to the impact it had on the Communities and families of that person, as well. The Chair acknowledged that this was commendable, and hoped this would not be missed, due to nuances in the figures and the pandemic as well. 

The Community Services Manager explained the caveat on the figures given, in that this was the total number of young people claiming Universal Credit. Not all would be looking for work or be able to look for work and there were other categories under that.  It had also been delivered over a short time period, with the first applications put in April 2021, and with the turnaround of a couple of months, around 250 opportunities had been offered to young people in RCT.

The Chair thanked the Community Services Manager and stated that this was very insightful.

Following discussion, Members RESOLVED to accept the content of the report.