East Suffolk Council has confirmed three-year funding support for Inspire’s Youth Employment Service, including the addition of two new youth coaches. Additional funding has also been provided through East Suffolk Council’s Skills by the Nuclear Restoration Services for an Enhanced provision targeting those young people who have significant barriers to engagement.
Now in its sixth year, the service offers personalised, ongoing support to young people aged 16-25 across the whole of East Suffolk, helping them into work, education, or training with a tailored holistic approach that goes beyond simply placing candidates in jobs. Additional funding has also been provided through East Suffolk Council’s Skills by the Nuclear Restoration Services for an Enhanced provision targeting those young people who have significant barriers to engagement.
Inspire currently employs four youth coaches who work closely with each young person, providing one-to-one coaching, workshops, and signposting free counselling through the charity’s Wellbeing Service. This wide-reaching support addresses both practical and emotional barriers that often prevent young people from finding and maintaining employment or education.
The service is on course to support around 750 individuals by the end of the year due to the increased capacity.
East Suffolk Council’s funding reflects the ongoing commitment to a long-term, consistent approach to supporting young people with the tools they need for work and life in the region.
Inspire also hopes that this secure footing could help to extend the programme to more areas and partner with other local authorities and funders to reach more young people.
“We’re grateful to East Suffolk Council and the Nuclear Restoration Services for their continued belief in this work,” said Jackie Partridge, Project Manager at Inspire. “Our coaches work 1-1 with young people to help them move towards work, education or training at their pace, in their way. We meet young people where they’re at. Sometimes that means helping write a CV, other times just having a real conversation about life and how they’re feeling. There’s no judgement – it’s all about figuring it out together and breaking it down into a plan so it’s manageable.”
Councilor Tim Wilson, said, “I’m pleased to confirm our continued support for Inspire’s successful Youth Employment Service. The scheme has a proven track record of delivering effective, targeted support for young people facing barriers to employment.
“Our support will provide certainty that the good work of the service can be extended to help more people succeed on their pathway and build a positive future – something everyone deserves a chance at.”
