New Youth Hub opens at Fife College’s Dunfermline Campus
A new central hub, which will support young people with learning, training, and work, has opened at Fife College’s Dunfermline Campus.
The Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Youth Hub will focus on supporting 16-24-year-olds after leaving school or further/higher education, particularly those who have struggled to sustain a positive destination.
The hub, which will involve staff from the College, Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Jobcentre, will also offer employability skills to support young people who have may have lost their jobs or an apprenticeship due to the pandemic.
Designed to encourage an improved collaborative approach between partner organisations who deliver youth provision, DWP Youth Hub Work Coaches will work closely with young people who require support to attain employability skills and address specific barriers impacting their careers journey.
The benefit of the new approach, part of the UK Government’s £30 billion Plan for Jobs, is to provide access to a wider range of support which can be easily accessed in the one central location.
Dawn Clark, Manager of Admissions, Employability and Customer Services at Fife College, and Chair of the Youth Employment Delivery Group for Fife, said:
“We are delighted to be working closely with our partners on the new DWP Youth Hub at our Dunfermline Campus. The hub is a fantastic opportunity for us to work closer with them and support their services.
“Being located within the campus, the hub is also a great new way to bring education and employability together, ensuring young people in Fife can easily access the tailored support they need to progress their career journey.”
UK Minister for Employment Mims Davies MP said:
“Our new DWP Youth Hubs are providing young jobseekers in Dunfermline, Fife and across the country with the support they need to get back on track and progress.
“We know this is still a challenging time for many young people, but through these local partnerships and our multi-billion pound Plan for Jobs, we’re helping young people to boost their skills, get new qualifications and build confidence so they can get into work and maximise their potential.”
Douglas Chapman MP said:
“It was an honour to speak at the official launch of the West Fife Youth Hub.
“For a lot of young people, trying to get a job has never been harder than it is now as the effects of the Coronavirus Pandemic have led to lots of firms downsizing and shedding jobs.
“At the same time, many companies’ demands for new skills is increasing as they try to keep pace with the demands of the 21st Century economy and a different kind of jobs market after Brexit and post Covid.
“If you’re a young person looking to get a job, that’s a lot to contend with.
“That’s why this new West Fife Youth Hub is so important – it provides a one-stop shop for people in education or on benefits, who are looking to progress their career or just get their foot on the jobs or training ladder.
“This hub is just what we need, just when we need it, and I’ll be keeping a keen interest in the difference it makes in our community in the months and years ahead.”