An information session for the third intake of the Cessnock City Youth First project will be held on Thursday, March 2.
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Led by Cessnock City Council’s economic development team, the job-readiness project will provide work placement and support for 20 local young people over 12 months.
It provides young jobseekers (aged 18 to 22) with 12 weeks of intense training and hands-on experience at council facilities such as the Hunter Valley Visitor Centre, and post-placement support.
The project started in August 2016 with a group of five participants, all of whom have gone on to secure employment.
Along with recruiting for the third round, the council is also seeking businesses to consider giving an opportunity to the second round of participants.
Council’s economic development manager Jane Holdsworth said the project has wide-ranging social and economic benefits.
“All these young people want is to work – they really, truly want a job and to contribute to society,” she said.
“As a community we have a responsibility to look after the youth of today and their futures by giving employment opportunities.
“We need to get the community driving it and owning it.”
The project was founded after a youth unemployment symposium in November 2015, when more than 20 per cent of the Hunter Valley’s young people were jobless.
Ms Holdsworth said council decided to take the lead when it came to addressing the city’s high youth unemployment figures.
“You don’t wait for the ship to come in; you swim out and sail it in,” she said.
The project gained national attention on ABC’s The 7.30 Report in January, and the council has since fielded inquiries from interstate.
Ms Holdsworth said the project has the potential to become a model for councils across Australia.
“It has shown that Cessnock is willing to be creative and fix problems in our own backyard with solutions with wide-ranging benefits,” she said.
The free information session will be held at the Cessnock City Council chambers on March 2 at 9.30am.
To register for the session, call Jane Holdsworth on 4993 4257, Rhiannon Stevens on 4993 4185, or email economic.development@cessnock.nsw.gov.au.
Interested businesses are also encouraged to contact Ms Holdsworth.