Work placements are to be offered to young people in Hackney in a joint scheme involving the council and the Government designed to offset some of the economic effects of the pandemic.

The Kickstart Scheme offers six month work placements for 16-24 year olds who are currently out of work. Applicants must be on Universal Credit or be willing to apply for Universal Credit.

The scheme itself is run by the Government, and the council is a “gateway” through which to run the project and get people involved.

“It’s important now because young people in the borough have been hit hard economically by the pandemic and they are coming into a challenging labour market,” a council spokesperson said.

“The Council’s Inclusive Economy strategy focuses on the creation of meaningful, quality paid employment opportunities for Hackney residents and school leavers, ensuring everyone can benefit from Hackney’s economic growth.”

The council has asked employers to pay the National Living Wage as a minimum and will itself employ at least 47 applicants, starting from this month.

Councillor Carole Williams, Cabinet Member for Employment, Skills and Human Resources said in a statement released by the council: “The impact of the coronavirus pandemic has been hard on young people in Hackney, leaving many anxious about what to do next in terms of education and employment.”

“As a council it is crucial that we harness the extraordinary talent of our young people in this borough to ensure that a generation isn’t left behind by these economically challenging times.”

The council is expecting plenty of applicants to be joining up to the scheme. Hundreds of roles are available in varying industries of work such as fashion and technology.

“This Kickstart scheme will provide opportunities for young people to develop in a working environment tailored to their interests and career aspirations,” Williams added.

Applications to join the scheme can be submitted here.