Kickstart

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Strengthening the sports sector and investing in the next generation

Aspire approved Kickstart gateway offering a sport sector-specific scheme.

 

Fully funded six-month work placements in:

  • Sports coaching

  • Marketing

  • Administration

 

Aspire’s Kickstart package is a career-starter, strengthening the sports sector and investing in the next generation.

Submit an Expression of Interest form by 5th February 2021 to join the Aspire cohort

What is Kickstart?

Launched by the government last September as part of their Plan for Jobs, the Kickstart scheme offers six-month fully funded work placements for 16 – 24-year-olds who are claiming Universal Credit.

That’s 100% of National Minimum Wage for 25 hours per week.

Organisations can offer any number of work placements, provided they have can ensure high-quality support and training for each.

Kickstart is a chance to enrich companies and empower the next generation.

 

 

Why has Kickstart launched?

  • Unemployment for young people has increased by 14%
  • The number of young people in employment has fallen by 278,000
  • 120% increase in the number of people claiming unemployment related benefits
  • 181,000 more young people have become economically inactive
  • Job vacancies across the UK in December 2020 dropped by 25.3% month-on-month and 10.3% year-on-year

 

The last year has left individuals and industries devasted by uncertainty.

The Kickstart Scheme comes as part of the government’s national Covid recovery strategy, creating high-quality jobs for young people and offering valuable business boosting support.

What will Aspire do as gateway?

  • Coordinate the recruitment process​
  • Provide role-specific and employability skills training​
  • Workforce mentor training for all employers
  • Monthly reviews and ongoing support for employer and candidate​
  • Establish a role checklist to monitor performance and progress​
  • Share good practice and develop case study material​
  • Webinar to discuss apprenticeship options​ for candidates
  • Support with candidates’ job search

 

Why choose Aspire as gateway organisation?

  • Established training provider in the sports and physical activity sector
  • Awarded approved status from the Professional Development Board for Physical Education
  • UK wide partner network of like-minded sports coaching organisations
  • Ready-to-go sport sector-specific package of support and training
  • Candidate progression on to Aspire traineeships and apprenticeship

 

When does the Aspire Kickstart cohort start?

  • Cohort one

Starts this month with 73 young people beginning placements at 24 organisations across England.

 

  • Cohort two

Starts in March 2021 and you can join by submitting an Expression of Interest form by 5th February 2021

 

Kickstart Scheme Webinar

Watch our latest webinar on-demand to hear from Aspire’s Nikki Clamp and Luke Johnson as they share further details on Kickstart, the benefits of the scheme and how you can get involved.

 

How does Kickstart benefit your company?

  • Extra support for school delivery and holiday camps.
  • Boost company presence and promotion; engage, inform and motivate audiences into action, turning more prospects into customers.
  • Your team develop leadership skills supporting candidates.
  • Gain a team member that embodies your vision and values.

What’s the cost?

  • You pay nothing

  • Government funded

  • Receive up to £5,500 of free staffing costs over the six-month duration per candidate

  • £150 uniform allowance and Aspire funded DBS​ for each candidate

  • £150 success payment for each completed six-month placement 

Mayoral Support

“Training and skills will be crucial to the economy recovery from COVID-19, particularly among young people who need every opportunity to learn skills of the future to help them into work.

“I am pleased to see Aspire, a West Midlands-based company, generating opportunities not just in our region but throughout England by leveraging the partnership network they have established. Any local business in the sport and leisure industries which can give a young person a chance to get into work should reach out to Aspire and look to play their part.”

Andy Street, the Mayor of the West Midlands

 

 

 

What our first cohort says

"We hope that we can use our experienced staff to support them to develop confidence in the role during their six-month placement in the hope that we can then consider options such as apprenticeships as a longer-term employment option.

“Being able to offer our leisure centres and schools even more resources at no extra cost during these times is also a massive bonus whilst we support children and families to be more physically active, and whilst children settle back into their education.”

Wendy Jackson, Business Development Manager at CV Life

 

 

 

Kickstart is ideal

"Kickstart is ideal because our industry has been hit hard by the pandemic restrictions and youth unemployment locally is high. We can offer quality placements to equip local young people to work towards a career in this industry. Our experienced staff will share good practice and support them as they embark on the training delivered by Aspire.”

Rob Wilkinson, Director of Moving Matters

 

 

 

Nothing but praise!

"We have nothing but praise. Aspire are always on hand to help and to support us and to work with us. The Kickstart programme allows us to provide people with the opportunity to experience a career within sport and to undertake a variety of differing self-development opportunities. Together Everyone Achieves More - come aboard and see how you can develop.”

Leah Perkins, Business Development Manager at UK Sports Coaching

 

Your route to becoming a Kickstart employer

  • Enquire

  • Chat to us

  • Submit Expression of Interest form by 5th February 2021

  • Get started

Kickstart your route into the scheme

Aspire's organisation – from project management, back office administration and on ground delivery – has been incredibly good which has enabled the programme to not only be a success but we have been able to include a much larger number than originally thought.

 
 
Catherine Stephenson
Staffordshire County Council

Aspire offer a positive ongoing relationship, consistent high-quality team members through different programmes and peace of mind

 
Hillary Primary School

Aspire offer us reliability, a high standard of tuition & flexibility

 
St Margaret's CE Primary School

Our children have enjoyed the approach to maths, through the Maths on the Move Programme - it focuses their learning and shows them the importance of maths in everything (it's not just a subject).

 
St Mary's RC Primary School

This is the 3rd time that my children have come to Aspire Active Camps, they love it and are already asking to go back! My younger daughter is brimming with confidence from her new-found sports skills and my older daughter has discovered a love for basketball. Top marks for the team all round!

 
 
 
Active Camps Parent 6/9/16

We have worked with Aspire Sports for over five years. The quality of delivery has always been excellent. The coaches are well qualified, knowledgeable and child friendly.

Sue Bailey
The Arthur Terry School

WSAS have had an extremely positive and long standing relationship with Aspire Sports. The feedback from our schools has been outstanding and we always achieve our pass rate targets. We communicate regularly, the support staff are always on hand to help out and are very professional and friendly. Aspire always go beyond our expectations.

 
 
Faye Haworth
Wilson Stuart Active Society

My child loves the range of activities on offer. I am always impressed by the positive, professional and friendly team both at the camp and the office.

 
 
 
 
Active Camp Parent 31/10/16