Moray Council to hire 15 young people as part of Kickstart scheme

The jobs, which will pay the Living Wage, will support young people aged 16-24 who are on Universal Credit and are at risk of long-term unemployment.

The posts are for 25-hours a week for a six-month period, and will be recruited tor over the next 18 months to support economic recovery in Moray. Further funding is available to provide support that will enable the young person to get a job in the future. This could include CV development, interview skills, mentoring and coaching alongside their work placement.

Moray Council’s analysis has shown that young people are disproportionately impacted at times of recession - and this increases the risk of losing young people from the area unless there are opportunities for them here. The Kickstart initiative is being supported by the Moray Chamber of Commerce and a number of local employers have indicated interest in taking placements.

Chair of the Moray Economic Partnership, Cllr Graham Leadbitter, said it was not a risk the authority could afford to take as it strives to retain talent in the local area, this being a key objective of both Moray Economic Strategy and the Moray Growth Deal.

“We need to seize every opportunity to support our young people and encourage them to remain in Moray.

“We hope that by offering meaningful job opportunities paying the Living Wage, a significant employer like the Council will show the scope of careers available on their doorstep and how fulfilling and valuable working in local public services can be.”