Newcastle Labour

Newcastle Council’s decision to scrap a high quality jobs and training programme for 400 unemployed city youngsters could lead to a ‘lost generation’, a City Labour Councillor warned this week.

The Future Jobs Fund is currently being administered by Newcastle Council and has to date created temporary jobs for 179 young people aged between 18 to 24.  In June, the Council announced it was scrapping the scheme as part of a Government led spending cuts programme.  The scheme is due to finish on 30th March 2011 with no indication that it is to be replaced.

Councillor Stephen Lambert said: “The Future Jobs Fund is playing an important role in tackling youth unemployment across the city.  It seems crazy to abolish a scheme which appears to be working and is creating real and meaningful opportunities and training for jobless youngsters in areas such as horticulture, the environment and in housing”.

“As the recession affects several neighbourhoods in the city it makes sense to provide support to young people trying to make a start in life.  The Council and Government must think again and target opportunities to the young if we’re serious in preventing the emergence of a lost generation.”

Councillor Lambert is calling on the City Council and Government Ministers to reinstate some venison of Labour’s Job Fund that guarantees work for the City’s young unemployed.  2,385 18 to 24 year olds are claiming Job Seekers Allowance in Newcastle (June 2010).  The matter is due to be discussed at the July meeting of the City Council.