A scheme to find jobs for young unemployed people in charities and social enterprises has already filled 555 vacancies.
Community Jobs Scotland, funded by the Scottish Government, aims to create 2000 paid jobs across every council area in Scotland by March of next year.
It is based on the model of the Future Jobs Fund, which was scrapped by the coalition government.
Positions created under the scheme must be “additional” jobs which generate a benefit to the community and offer individuals at least 25 hours a week of work, paying at least the minimum wage, and for a minimum of 26 weeks.
The programme is designed to give the young unemployed the chance to develop new skills that will improve their chances of future employment.
While the current Government funding commitment of £10m for 2011-12 will only fund 2000 jobs, charities and social enterprises have come forward with offers to create more than 4000 jobs under the scheme.
A total of 469 employers have bid for jobs to the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and the Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition, which are jointly running the scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government.
So far, CJS has identified 1088 job opportunities, with another 912 to be made available by March 2012, and 555 have already been filled a few months after the launch of the programme.
In the latest round of applications, bids were received from 130 new organisations wanting to get involved in CJS, including Action for Children, Prince’s Trust, Pearce Institute, Sense Scotland, Voluntary Arts Scotland, Aberdeen Cyrenians and Caithness Citizens Advice Bureau. The range of employers already involved in CJS covers the full breadth of the sector, from large national organisations to small community projects.
While some jobs result in permanent positions for young workers, all participants receive job-specific training and general training tailored to help them enhance their chances of securing permanent full-time employment beyond their involvement in the scheme.
Donna Mackinnon, director of Employment Services at the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, said the success of CJS hinged on the quality of opportunities offered to young people across Scotland.
“We are not only seeing huge interest in Community Jobs Scotland jobs from voluntary sector employers but from young people too. Young people know that CJS offers a valuable opportunity to get experience, new skills, a wage and a crucial step on the career ladder,” she explained.
SCVO claims the scheme has been successful in creating a diverse range of opportunities, including in growth industries, such as “green” jobs and tourism, as well as providing a vital foot-in-the-door to highly competitive industries such as marketing, design, media and the arts.
CJS employees are working in roles including child carer, money adviser, conservation worker, sound engineer, bike mechanic, warehouse assistant and catering assistant.
Details of vacancies can be found at www.goodmoves.org.uk. Click on the Community Jobs Scotland banner.
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