The job placements created with Kickstart funding must be new jobs. They must not:

• replace existing or planned vacancies

• cause existing employees or contractors to lose or reduce their employment

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The roles you are applying for must be:

• a minimum of 25 hours per week, for 6 months

• paid at least the National Minimum Wage for their age group (and preferably the Real Living Wage)

• should not require people to undertake extensive training before they begin the job placement.

 

Our Core Support Role 

 

This is a brand new government scheme, so we expect some changes along the way. But essentially our role will include:

• Ensuring each employer has created a role and job description that will best suit this programme of work and meet all eligibility criteria

• Collating the supporting documents required from each employer to apply for a Kickstart role

• Submitting each employer’s application for a Kickstart role to the Government

• Supporting each employer in choosing their Kickstart participant through the relevant government processes (further details to follow)

• Distributing the government grants to cover the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions for each Kickstart participant to each employer

• Providing a full training and support package (see Training and support section) for each Kickstart participant

• Facilitating any useful sharing of knowledge and information across our network of represented employers to support the best possible outcomes and the Kickstart participants.

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You will be responsible for:

• Employing your Kickstart participant (providing a contract of employment and regular payslips)

• Day-to-day line management of your Kickstart participant

• Internal inductions or role-specific training of your Kickstart participant

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Training and Support

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The government stipulates that each application should include how you will help the participants to develop their skills and experience, including:

• support to look for long-term work, including career advice and setting goals

• support with CV and interview preparations

• supporting the participant with basic skills, such as attendance, timekeeping and teamwork

 

Change Agents UK and SOS-UK have been providing training and development to young people starting their careers in the sector for over 10 years. We are therefore offering every Kickstart placement the opportunity to gain the required training, plus additional mentoring and networking support, through us.

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Government funding of £1500 per placement is available for the provision of training and support, so the comprehensive programme of support provided through SOS and Change Agents will be covered by this. It will include the following:

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• Introduction to sustainability in the HE/FE sector, including building an understanding of key topics such as such as behaviour change, curriculum reform, staff and student engagement​

• Interactive Essential Workplace Skills workshops covering key skills such as communication, teamwork, time management and prioritisation

• Sustainability and Skills for the Future workshop covering an introduction to sustainability, how social and environmental issues can be tackled through work, and the skills needed for the 21st century workplace

• 1:1 phone support from our experienced team providing objective/goal-setting and personalised career advice

• Access to our online Learning Academy

• Supported networking opportunities

• An end of placement online interactive workshop on networking, CV and application skills and tailored next steps advice

• Monitoring & Evaluation of the scheme outcomes.

 

Alongside this we will ask that each individual employer provides an suitable local induction programme, supportive line management and any role-specific training required to ensure that employers and Kickstarters are able to gain the most possible from their time on placement.

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How to apply

We have now closed applications to our Gateway but we are able to support direct applicants with their own submission and training requirements. If you would like to find out more about this please call us on 01572 723419 or email contact@changeagents.org.uk

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FAQs

Frequently asked questions can be found at changeagents.org.uk/kickstart-faqs

Updated 23/11/2021