Essex: More Help For Jobless Youngsters

More people will be helped into work now an Essex-based charity has been awarded £35,000 to help jobless youngsters boost their employability.

Signpost Limited, in Jaywick, will use the money from the Lloyds TSB Foundation For England And Wales to support its Modern And Heritage Skills Training, known as the MAHST Project.

It is designed to help young people who are not in education, employment or training (neets) to gain skills and training to prepare them ready for work.

Diane Boyd, youth development manager at Signpost Limited, said: "Many of the young people we work with have little or no qualifications, need support and mentoring and may have had to face personal issues.

"Through this programme we hope to create positive changes for neets and enable them to move forward with their lives.''

The charity currently provides employment support to adults and young people such as job coaching and advocacy support.

Signpost's new project works with young people over 24 weeks to provide them with the skills they need to progress into an apprenticeship or employment.

Jude Stevens, grant manager for East of England and London at the foundation, said: "The foundation is committed to supporting charities that help to tackle disadvantage in their communities.

"Young people are finding it difficult to enter employment. but Signpost is doing an exceptional job of training and supporting young people into the workplace and increasing their aspirations.''