Companies benefitting from the additional support of young individuals through the government’s Kickstart scheme have expressed their thanks to the organising team at BATF.

The Kickstart Scheme is a fully funded government initiative which creates high quality 6-month work placements for 16 to 24 year-olds on Universal Credit who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

As an approved gateway for the scheme, BATF has already organised more than 100 placements across companies in the jewellery and giftware sectors. Now the Federation is inviting more businesses to come forward to register their interest in the opportunity, which requires zero financial commitment from the business.

Next BATF Kickstart Deadline: Friday 28^th May

[Register interest]

Imogen Owen, owner of a letterpress and lettering studio of the same name in Leicestershire said,

“I’ve been thrilled with the Kickstart programme, I was a little trepidatious at first as it seemed like lots of paperwork and things to deal with, and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’ve been very pleased.”

Junaid Sheikh, Director at Heaven Spring Ltd, wholesalers specialising in Himalayan Salt Products added, 

“The scheme has allowed us to get fresh new talent on board in order to take a proper look at our digital sales strategy, which is imperative these days for any business, thank you for your support.” 

Supporting businesses

Employers of all sizes can apply for funding which covers: 

·       100% of the National Minimum Wage (or the National Living Wage depending on the age of the participant) for 25 hours per week for a total of 6 months 

·       associated employer National Insurance contributions 

·       employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. 

·       employers receive up to £1500.00 funding per job placement. This is for setup costs and to support the young person develop their employability skills. 

BATF is encouraging members of the National Association of Jewellers, Giftware Association, Surface Engineering Association, Jewellery Distributors Association and the British Travel goods and Accessories Association to apply for the scheme in order to support business activities with additional resource.

Supporting careers

The scheme is not only intended to work for the employer, but also the Kickstarter themselves offering young individuals the opportunity to develop skills, and experience being part of such a dynamic sector.  

A Kickstart employee working with The Master Herbalist Ltd, makers of British fine herbal gifts and toiletries said,

“"I really appreciate the sense of purpose that this Kickstart placement has given me after a few months of, at times, disheartening job searching. It's great to know that I'm not only enjoying what I'm doing but also building up future skills and experience that will hopefully make it easier for me to find my next job when this placement comes to an end." 

 BATF report that the scheme so far has been well received by both businesses and candidates, creating many exciting opportunities in such an exciting and vibrant sector of British industry and equally attracting a high calibre of applicants for the various positions advertised.  

 Interested parties are encouraged to contact the Kickstart team at the Federation to discuss the opportunity in more detail and understand how the scheme can support your business and create an opportunity for a young person to get back into work.   

[Register interest]

Additional:

Kickstart FAQS

How does the scheme benefit my business? 

A fantastic opportunity at a time of uncertainty to be able to grow your business and have the extra support without the financial employee costs.  As well as employee costs being fully funded, companies also receive grant of £1140 to cover any start up and training costs associated with the placement. It is a great, cost neutral opportunity to share some of your workload, gain a fresh perspective in your business and in return support a young, unemployed individual in gaining vital skills and experience for their future.  

“Having a Kickstart employee has freed me up from some of the day-to-day tasks in running my business so that I can focus my time on growing my brand. Grace is a great addition to my business, is hard working, conscientious and has lots of initiative, expressed Julia, Director and creative artist at Julia Gash Enterprises Ltd. 

How many placements can I offer?  

You can offer multiple job placements, to accommodate your business needs. Should you require additional placements following the approval of your application, further placements can be added before the cut-off date.  

Can I employ somebody I already know, who is looking for a job? 

All candidates will be referred by your local DWP, who will be in receipt of universal credit and must be registered with a jobs coach.  

What if I have employees on furlough? 

You may recruit for a Kickstart position if this position is completely unrelated to any positions you have that are currently furloughed and doesn’t jeopardise the furloughed position.  

Do I have to provide training? 

As your gateway, we will provide all the core employability skills training, which will be delivered by a professional consultant to ensure you comply with all T&Cs set by DWP. In addition to this it is your responsibility as an employer to provide the candidate with training specific to the role.   

How do I apply? 

Please complete the online application form no later than Friday 28^th May, following this, BATF will submit your application to DWP for them to perform basic company checks. You will be informed as to whether your application has been successful in approximately 4 weeks.