Suffolk's Kickstart Scheme

Suffolk Councils, working with the Suffolk Chamber of Commerce, formed the Suffolk Gateway Partnership to deliver this national programme, designed to boost opportunities for young people in the workplace.

Developed by the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP) to provide 6 month employment placements for 16-24 year olds on Universal Credit, Kickstart assists them in gaining the skills and experience they need to succeed in the future. The scheme provides funding to cover the wages of each placement for 25 hours per week, as well as extra funding to help support the development of the young person.  

In Suffolk, we have seen a fantastic response from employers and our young people, with over 700 placements being made available since the launch of the programme.   Our successful Kickstarters have impressed our businesses, with some 75% of those employers retaining their Kickstarter and offering them a permanent role at the end of their six month placement. 

The Kickstart scheme has now closed to applications, however there are a range of further employment and training schemes available in Suffolk to support both your existing workforce and new recruits, including apprenticeships, training programmes and staff development (e.g. workplace support for mental health). For more information please contact skills@suffolk.gov.uk