Wigan Youth Zone launches new employability programme

A collaboration between Wigan Youth Zone, Wigan Council, JobCentre Plus and Leigh Sports Village will ensure that young people aged 18 to 24 are able to access the training and employment opportunities that are available in the area.

WYZ’s Pathway 2 Employment (P2E) programme, based at Leigh Youth Hub, opened its doors earlier this week and will offer up to 115 young people who are out of work, an intensive mentoring programme where they will receive support and advice to help them access or step closer to employment.

Over the next 12 months, young people will be connected to local organisations within the borough which can provide support with CV writing skills, interview preparation and technique, jobs and apprenticeships, as well as help them to build resilience.

Head of operationsat Wigan Youth Zone, Sikander Ali, said: “Over the last 10 years since launching our successful employability programme in Wigan, which has seen over 400 young people get into further education or employment, we have had a real focus on the provision of training and support to our communities.

"This new partnership extends that with a clear offer to support young people into employment at an economically challenging time.”

“We are looking forward to working closely with Leigh Sports Village, JobCentre Plus and Wigan Council to ensure the success of P2E at Leigh Youth Hub, which will play a key part in supporting young people disproportionately affected by a number of economic issues to access the job market.”

Wigan Youth Zone’s senior employment advisor, Amy Stark, based at Leigh Youth Hub, said: “The P2E programme truly helps our young people by providing them with an opportunity to learn new skills, build new networks and take their first steps into the world of work.

"We want to help young people get their careers off to a flying start as unemployment at a young age can leave permanent scarring - and means they’re more likely to earn less over the course of their working lives and experience more spells of unemployment.

"I would encourage any young person ready to start their career to sign up for our employability programme to unlock and fulfil their potential.”

From the very start the boys and girls’ club, as co-founder Dave Whelan likes to call, has not just been about youngsters coming together to have fun and be socialable.

A key part of its ethos has been to discover hidden talents and nurture existing ones for the benefit of each individual, perhaps even setting them on the pathway to a successful career.

Only last week 22-year-old Owen Bolton credited the performing arts experience he enjoyed at Wigan Youth Zone with helping him land his first West End role in the show Choir of Man.

Many other young people who have been members of the youth zone have been able to forge professional careers using skills first found and encouraged there