Jobs threat as careers service hit by cutbacks

THE Government has been blasted after a grant to a service that helps unemployed young people into work was slashed.

Critics say reducing grants to Labour’s flagship Connexions scheme will badly affect young people struggling to find jobs.

The withdrawal of funding from central Government has seen Oldham Council slash its grant to Positive Steps Oldham, a local charitable trust that runs Connexions, by £785,000.

It has resulted in Positive Steps — whose services for young people also include Oldham Youth Offending Services, Oldham Drugs and Alcohol Action Team and Oldham Teenage Pregnancy Partnership — warning redundancies are inevitable and starting a formal 90-day consultation process with its 250 employees.

Positive Steps say the cut is around 27 per cent of its funding, with Connexions particularly affected.

Connexions was set up in 2001 to reduce the number of young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) and provides career advice to 13 to 19-year-olds as well as guidance on personal, social and health problems.

Roger Bannister, of the Unison National Executive Council, said the cuts were of particular concern.

In Cheshire there is the possibility of the complete closure of the service with cuts in the North-West ranging from 24 to 90 per cent.

Mr Bannister said: “Against this background it is difficult to escape the conclusion that a Government that sees no future for our young people sees no need for them to have access to reliable, independent careers advice from properly trained careers advisers.”

Positive Steps Oldham chief executive Tim Mitchell said the Government is currently reviewing careers guidance services in England with a view to creating an all-age careers service for young people and adults.

The new service is to become fully operational from April 2012.

The organisation is currently planning its budget for 2011-12 while exploring other national, regional and local funding sources.

Mr Mitchell added: “This is a very uncertain time for all staff who deliver programmes and services which are funded by central or local government, regardless of who they work for. We have known for some time that savings would be required.

“As the financial picture has become clearer, we now know that it is inevitable that our staffing levels will have to be reduced.

“We are about to enter into discussions with our trade unions and staff.”

Positive Steps has been involved in projects that have been hailed for helping slash anti-social behaviour in Oldham and reducing rates of teenage pregnancy.

The North-West’s first Targeted Youth Support Centre for pregnant teenagers is at its Union Street base.

The grant cut is revealed in the council’s budget, which states: “This reflects the fact that there will no longer be a statutory requirement to provide a universal Connexions service after September, although there will be a requirement to provide targeted support services to those young people most at risk of becoming NEET.”