Plymouth celebrates 1000th member of the 1000 Club

Plymouth’s pioneering 1000 Club is marking a momentous milestone with a celebration to thank 1000 businesses and organisations that are helping our young people to get their foot in the door.

The club, which was set up through the Plymouth Growth Board, working with the Council and the Chamber of Commerce, set a target of attracting 1000 companies and organisations to support young people into work either by creating a job, apprenticeship, graduate internship, work placement and schools work experience.

This has now been achieved and the event is being held to thank the businesses who have supported over 2,300 young people. The event is also an opportunity for employers to meet with young people who are seeking work.

Council Leader Tudor Evans said: “This club has been a fantastic success and the businesses who’ve helped us achieve this should feel really proud.

“We launched the club in 2012 as 33 per cent of our unemployed were aged between 18 and 24. The longer they are out of work the harder it is to get work – it is a vicious circle.

"We also listened to businesses who were concerned that young people were not ready for the work place and were wanted to help but were confused by the number of schemes and agencies running.

“So we came up with the club – where business and young people could get to know each other through real on-the-ground experience.”

Students from All Saints Academy, which specialises in business and enterprise and mathematics, will be on hand to greet the guests and speakers include Paul Jacobs, of Foot Anstey who support All Saints Academy as well as Victoria Hutchins from Amey.

The 1000 Club has been recognised nationally and was shortlisted in the recent Local Government Chronicle Awards. It has been so successful that other councils have been to visit the city to find out how they can set a similar scheme up and plans are underway to expand the club across the whole region as part of the Plymouth and South West Peninsula City Deal.

Jacki Williams, Partnership Manager for Jobcentre Plus added: “The 1000 Club has been an incredible success.

"We have invested in delivery through our local flexible support fund and it has been an inspiring project to be part of.

"It is great that businesses and organisations have really stepped up to help the next generation of Plymouth get the experience and confidence they need to and has made a real difference in increasing youth employment across the city.”

Key partners include Jobcentre Plus, National Apprenticeship Service, Plymouth Training Providers Network, Plymouth City Council and Chamber of Commerce.

The 1000 Club is one of the 19 projects in Plymouth’s Plan for Jobs, a concentrated effort by the Council to bring together actions and commitments from city organisations to pump energy, motivation and substantial funding into the local economy to stimulate growth and jobs.

‘Hollands Diner’ is the 1000th member and they will soon be opening their American themed retro diner and bar in Frankfort Gate in the City Centre, which will be run by husband and wife team Tracy and Chris.

Through the 1000 Club they learned about the different options and currently are looking at apprenticeships, traineeships, unemployed young people and work experience as options for their recruitment. They agree the crucial role of combining business and education and the diner is an ideal opportunity to bring young people into the work place.