Firms urged to offer work placements in unique jobs scheme

Employers are urged to sign up to a unique scheme to support young people at risk of violence. 

The Summer Jobs Programme, which launched last year, provides paid work experience for young people in a bid to provide them with a brighter future – and employers are now urged to come forward to provide vital placements. 

The programme, set up by national youth work charity UK Youth, runs during the summer holidays and includes a preparation week, five weeks of paid work experience – funded by the scheme – and wraparound support from a youth worker. 

Thora Eberts, UK Youth head of network delivery, said: “The scheme was a huge success last summer, helping hundreds of young people build confidence and develop their employability skills. 

“Now we are looking for more employers prepared to welcome, work with, mentor and supervise a vulnerable young person in a safe and supported way. 

“As well as providing young people with paid work experience, developing their employability, the Summer Jobs Programme offers companies the chance to do some real good and offer opportunities to vulnerable young people – alongside the prospect of extra staff over the summer months. I urge firms to come forward, host a placement and help make a significant impact in the lives of young people.” 

Based on the successful One Summer Chicago scheme, which has been running in Chicago, USA, for a decade, the scheme is aimed at young people aged 16-20 who are at risk of violence. 

Employers who took part last year included Timpson, Veolia and Morgan Sindall, among many others, with four-fifths saying they would most likely take part again and many offering the young person a permanent role – Burger King UK, for example, hired more than half of the 21 young people it provided placements for in summer 2024. 

Among last year’s employers, 82 per cent said they were satisfied with the overall programme, with the same percentage saying they were satisfied with the young person’s fulfilment of tasks. 

One placement supervisor said of their young person: “I’ve definitely seen him grow in maturity and confidence. I think that comes from being trusted. I think it comes from being paid well as well.” 

Another said: “The young person was really quiet and shy when he arrived, but he came out of his shell and from the start to the end of the programme his confidence improved dramatically. We didn’t treat him any differently from the rest of the team, he exceeded our expectations and I like to think he left with some useful experience and a sense of pride in what he had achieved.” 

Some 95 per cent of the 400 young people who took part last year said they were “very satisfied” or “satisfied” with the programme. 

This year, as well as returning to Greater Manchester, Birmingham and London, the programme is being expanded to Doncaster, Middlesbrough, Sheffield, South Wales and Stockton-on-Tees – with the aim of helping 600 young people. 

The Summer Jobs Programme is part of a large research project to learn better ways to support young people at risk of violence. The project is funded by the Youth Endowment Fund, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Youth Futures Foundation. 

For further information about getting involved in the scheme, see shorturl.at/wiYlB

About UK Youth

UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org

UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes