Newham charity supports apprenticeship schemes in face of youth unemployment

Newham charity Community Links have welcomed a new apprenticeship scheme to tackle youth crime and unemployment in the borough.

The intiative, launched this week by CC Developments UK, is piloting around 1,000 apprenticeships for young people to work on community projects within the construction industry to improve their job prospects and make London a safer place.

The scheme gained the support of Community Links, on Barking Road, which ran the most successful New Deal project in London and the South East, running youth clubs and children’s activities for almost 4,000 young people in the last year alone.

Co-founder Kevin Jenkins, OBE, said: “The Apprenticeship Programme launched by CC Developments will no doubt have a positive impact on both communities and young people in general.

“The scheme will enable unemployed youngstars to move on in a difficult time and to give them a chance to build their futures. This is a wonderful intiative.”

Last week, figures released by the Office for National Statistics revealed that unemployment within the under 25 age bracket has hit 1.2 million, the highest total since 1992 but the number of construction apprenticeships have declined since 2008/9 and only increased by 5 per cent on last year.

Newham also topped London’s young jobless table as unemployment among 16 to 24-year-olds rose again to 3,420 in September this year – a jump of 60 in a single month.

Darren Bolger, managing director of CC Developments UK, said: “Patnerships, which we have forged through community link building, will provide the necessary mentoring to deliver long-term strategies, work and continued progress to all apprentices under our scheme.”

Further information surrounding the apprenticeship schemes are due to be released in the next two months.