THE first session in Launceston of the national ‘Mentoring Circle’ scheme run by Jobcentre Plus is to be held next week to provide a helping hand to the town’s unemployed youth.

The project will run over three weeks from October 30 and it is hoped, if successful, it can be rolled out in Bude early next year.

Katherine Davey, Jobcentre Plus employer adviser for Bude and Launceston, has set up the mentoring circle in Launceston as part of a national drive to get young people aged 16 to 24 into employment.

Katherine said: “It came about as a directive from London. The team have been working with young people and tackling gang culture. By putting the mentoring circle together it was thought it would help get people onto the right path. It was then rolled out nationally.”

Katherine said this is an important opportunity for the young people who are, for whatever reason, currently out of work. She said: “The young people involved will be those who have been working with a Jobcentre work coach. In terms of work they may have been in employment before but for whatever reason they are out of work at the moment. We have a wide range of people we see and they all have something to give.”

In their first session the young people will be matched with a local employer and given the opportunity to learn about their industry, what attributes the employer is looking for in a prospective employee, as well as experience communicating with local or national companies.

Katherine said: “The idea is that an employer gives a young person insight into how to apply and be successful in their application for a job with them. A mentor can be as hands on as they want, but the more involved they are the better. A lot of employers like being a mentor.

“It is a pull on an employer’s time but we hope they can make an investment into the future with these young people — it is all about helping people in our local community, local jobs for local people.”

Katherine has got a variety of employers on board for the first session of the Launceston Mentoring Circle to give the young people involved a diverse mix of opportunities. She said: “We have already got ten young people involved — people do drop out for various reasons, moving away or gaining employment, but I’m hoping to have a core of ten low.

“I’ve got five employers, including a national company, but I can get more if needed or if the young people have a specific interest.”

Before the sessions began the teams from Job Centre Plus and Pluss met with the young people as a group to explain the programme and sign up anyone eligible to Pluss.

This is a joint venture between Job Centre Plus and Pluss, based in Launceston.

In week one, on Wednesday, October 30, representatives from Pluss, Job Centre Plus, the employers and young people will meet at the chosen venue, the Gateway Centre in Launceston. Katherine said: “The Gateway Centre is letting us use their space, which is really kind.”

She added: “I would like to incorporate a social element to the circle and there is a nice café area in the centre which will provide a neutral venue, not too formal, which can reduce anxiety.

“They can chill, play pool and get peer-to-peer mentoring at the same time.”

The young people will be introduced to their mentors, given the opportunity to get to know one another and receive advice on their CVs.

In week two the young people will attend a CV workshop before undertaking a visit to their employer’s premises.

Katherine said: “In the second week we will take a look at the premises and see what it’s like and discuss what kind of person the employer is looking for. For example, you might think retail is all about working with customers, but in fact there are probably hundreds of other job roles in that sector — it’s about opening up sectors and discussing all the things you don’t normally think about in a job.”

The final week will include a special shopping day for interview clothes before the young people put the insights they have gained during the programme to the test by attending a mock interview followed by a celebration event on November 14. Katherine said: “I am working with a partner [Peacocks] to provide interview clothes for the young people. We will buy the clothes for them and the young people will get to experience a mock interview with the employers. It’s all about giving them more confidence.

“There will then be a celebration of how far they have come.”

Katherine said she is keen to get started as this will be her first Mentoring Circle session.

She said: “I hope, no, we will learn something from doing this and be able to take it forward to the next one.

“There might be some things I do the same, there might be things I change but I am hoping to hold a Mentoring Circle in Bude early in the New Year — late January, early February time.”

Katherine concluded that she is pleased with the core group of employers she has selected for her first session but would be happy to hear from others who are interested in getting involved in the future.

To find out more about Mentoring Circles or to get involved contact Launceston Jobcentre Plus.