Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey visits Leyland for the opening of a new youth hub

On Wednesday, the South Ribble MP Katherine Fletcher, alongside staff from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and other local leaders, welcomed Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey to Leyland for the opening of the new South Ribble Youth Hub.

Based in the Civic Centre, it will act as local centre for young adults to access support to help them into employment, and is one of 110 being opened by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

In partnership with local DWP employability coaches who will help young jobseekers access local training and new job opportunities across South Ribble, the new Hub also brings together local teams from Lancashire Adult Learning, the National Careers Service, Citizens Advice and Progress Housing.

Local MP Katherine Fletcher said: “This one stop shop for people between 18-25 provides one on one support for new jobseekers. Working with local employers, hand in hand with local

careers support, housing and mental health, it’ll link keen young people with the jobs they need and deserve.”

Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey said: “It was great to speak to inspiring young people at the Leyland Youth Club, who’ve grasped the opportunities opened by brilliant local employers with the Kickstart scheme. The support provided by the Hub matches the passion of their local partners to deliver outstanding opportunities across South Ribble.”

Building on the UK Governments “Plan for Jobs”, the Hub works with the Kickstart scheme to drive opportunities across South Ribble.

The Hub will operate from the Civic Centre in Leyland four days per week, with referrals currently being made through Jobcentre Plus, although it is expected that a drop-in facility will be implemented soon.

Also at the Hub's opening was Councillor Paul Foster, Leader of South Ribble Borough Council, who said: "South Ribble has sadly been identified as one of the areas that has seen the biggest increase in youth unemployment and it's of no doubt that the devastating effects of the pandemic have been a root cause of this.

"We're dedicated to do all we can to support the young people of the borough and I'm so pleased that we have been able to work with the DWP to support and play host to the Youth Hub.

"The Council has a long history of working in collaboration with the DWP, assisting residents of the borough who are seeking support in preparing for training, apprenticeships and employment.

"We have already successfully co-located Jobcentre Plus here at the Civic Centre, providing a co-ordinated support offer, and the Youth Hub now provides a dedicated resource for our younger residents.

"Our support doesn't stop there. Hopefully our application for grant funding will be successful and we will be able to bring to the team a specialist Youth Engagement Officer to further develop vital initiatives to support our young people - providing them with the skills, support and knowledge to embark on their careers."

To find out more about the government's new youth hub scheme, click here.