New Scottish Government funding to support young people into work
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New funding from the Scottish Government means that people looking for work, or those at risk of redundancy, will benefit from assistance to move into work or retrain.
The support package, outlined by economy secretary Fiona Hyslop, is backed by £100 million for 2020/21, with at least £50 million set aside to help young people get into work.
Measures in the package include: a job guarantee for young people, a new national retraining scheme, and more funding to provide immediate assistance and advice if people are made redundant. Fair Start Scotland, the employment support service, has also been extended by a further two years to March 2023.
Badenoch and Strathspey MP Drew Hendry commented: “Here in The Highlands, and across Scotland, we are potentially facing unemployment on a scale not seen for decades as a result of COVID-19.
"This crisis is having a significant impact on our young people and we need to act quickly to protect their future.
“We all know that the young people in the Highlands are talented, hard-working and full of ingenuity. While the post-coronavirus landscape poses challenges, it also poses many opportunities – opportunities which I’m sure the young people in my constituency will grasp with both hands.
"This new funding will help them achieve their goals and aspirations and I fully welcome it.
“This extra funding from the Scottish Government shows that we are ready to rise to the challenge to invest in people and our economy, both locally and nationally, to ensure that those who have lost their job, those who are in danger of losing their job and young people entering the job market can benefit from more and better job opportunities.
“The extension to Fair Start Scotland will also provide stability and continuity to the most vulnerable and those furthest from the labour market, including people with disabilities, health conditions and those who are long-term unemployed, to help them progress into work.”
