Successful youth employment initiative extended

The £31.9m Tees Valley Youth Employment Initiative comprises the Tees Valley Pathways and Tees Valley Routeways Programmes. Both programmes commenced in 2015 and were due to end next year, but will now continue until the end of 2023.

The programmes support unemployed or economically inactive young people aged 15 to 29 across Tees Valley. Since being launched, they have engaged with over 9,835 young people and, so far, 4,881 have progressed into a positive destination such as employment.

They provide support in the following ways:

• Tees Valley Pathways – Offers personalised education, employment and enterprise opportunities alongside innovative activities, bespoke support and alternative enrichment using sport, arts and creative media.

• Tees Valley Routeways – Offers employment opportunities in partnership with employers linked to the Tees Valley Combined Authority’s identified growth sectors, including advanced manufacturing, digital and logistics.

The programmes are managed by Hartlepool Borough Council and delivered across Tees Valley by a consortium of 18 partners from the public, private & voluntary sectors. The extensions have been agreed following negotiations between the Council, the Department for Work & Pensions and the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority. The Mayor and Combined Authority has also supported the project with £2.4million of funding.

The extensions have been welcomed by councillors in Hartlepool who say the programmes have had a major impact on tackling youth unemployment. The youth unemployment rate for Hartlepool is currently 10.5% and whilst that is significantly higher than the national rate of 5.7% it has fallen over the last 12 months from 14.5%

Councillor Shane Moore, the Leader of Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “The extension is fantastic news and it means that the excellent work being carried out across the Tees Valley can continue.”

“Both programmes have made a huge contribution to tackling youth unemployment, both in Hartlepool and across the wider Tees Valley. However, work still needs to be done to bring it down further locally and the extension of these excellent programmes is key to that. I’d like to thank the Government and the Tees Valley Mayor and Combined Authority for their on-going financial support.”

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said: "I'm delighted to be able to help fund important schemes such as this and it's great that it's set to be extended to help even more young people for the next two years. This scheme is another way we're giving local people the education and training they need to get the good-quality well-paid jobs we're creating - and that they deserve. We're entering a period of huge opportunity across Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool, and we need to do all we can to show our teenagers and twenty-somethings they can stay local but go far in their chosen careers. It's fantastic to hear about this scheme's success as it continues to play a part in doing just that."

Councillor Tim Fleming, Chair of the Council’s Adult and Community Based Services Committee, added: “The quality of support these programmes provide to young people is excellent, and I am delighted that they are to continue.

“It is so important to give our young people hope for the future by helping them to develop the skills required by employers. This will also benefit the local economy.”

If you would like further information or to receive support through the programmes then you can contact a member of the team by either calling 01429 857080, emailing YEI@hartlepool.gov.uk or submitting your details using our online portal at http://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/careersservice.

The Tees Valley Pathways and Routeways Programmes are part-funded by European Social Fund and supported under the Youth Employment Initiative.