Kickstart

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.

Questions? Email us

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 5^th 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