We have recently awarded Foundation for Jobs significant funding of £25,000 towards the Foundation for Jobs project which aims to tackle worklessness.

Foundation for Jobs works with firms to address reasons they may not previously have taken on young people and helps them to develop new apprenticeship places, as well as sourcing and developing interview ready candidates for these roles.

Since its launch in 2012 Foundation for Jobs has worked with more than 4,000 young people in Darlington and enjoyed support from businesses and industrialists across the whole North-East region.

The initiative set up by The Northern Echo, Darlington Borough Council and the Darlington Partnership of private firms and public sector organisations, works with young people from the ages of 10 to 24.

The major strands of its work include working with firms to develop new apprenticeships, organising work experience and internship places to give young people skills that enhance their chance of securing work and linking industry with schools to inspire young people to consider careers that offer them the best chance of rewarding futures.

Since its launch it has secured a national award, drawn praise from Prime Minister David Cameron and been visited by HRH The Duke of York.

County Durham Community Foundation Development Manager Jane Robson said: “We are delighted to support Foundation for Jobs, it is a fantastic initiative.
“We have watched it grow over the last three years and are very aware of the work it has done. When the opportunity arose to support Foundation for Jobs, given that it aligns very well with our links with the community, it seemed an ideal opportunity.
“We are celebrating 20 years of charitable giving and we will be making more than 1,000 grants this year.
“The way Foundation for Jobs matches the needs of young people in the local community with the future needs of business here in our region means it is an excellent project to support.”
Speaking on behalf of the 11-19 partnership Calvin Kipling, headteacher of Darlington School of Maths and Science, said: “The 11-19 Partnership agreed to fund Foundation for Jobs because it offers the chance to collaborate on enterprise activities which would be difficult replicate on an individual school basis.
“Having a single point of contact for employers means that we as schools maintain better relationships with those employers through Foundation for Jobs which benefits all sides.”

Foundation for Jobs works with firms to address reasons they may not previously have taken on young people and helps them to develop new apprenticeship places, as well as sourcing and developing interview ready candidates for these roles.

Its internships and work experience programme has given many young people a first taste of a workplace or highlighted their skills to employers, leading to employment for many.
In working with schools it aims to enhance students awareness of which industries are set to create the most jobs in the North-East in the years to come and challenge outdated perceptions they may have of those industries.

Foundation for Jobs therefore works with industry to match young peoples’ aspirations with the North-East employment market through a programme of inspiring practical activities.
It has been proven that young people who have contact with industry while at school are up to five times less likely to be unemployed at the age of 25.