SIX Town Housing has welcomed five new trainee staff members as part of the government funded Kickstart Scheme.

The Kickstart scheme provides on-the-job experience, training, support and mentoring for 18 to 24 year olds in receipt of Universal Credit who were at risk of long term unemployment.

The jobs were advertised by their employment programme, Steps to Success, which is back up and running after the lockdown.

Steps to Success provides personalised support to Six Town Housing tenants who want to address any barriers that may be preventing them from getting a job or impacting upon their quality of life.

The trainee positions at Six Town Housing, who manage housing on behalf of Bury Council, include two customer support assistants, two community support workers and a data quality assistant.

Ellie Redfern, the new trainee community support worker, said: “Kickstart gives young people the chance that they need to get job experience.

"I felt stuck and didn’t think I’d work again but hearing about the Kickstart vacancy felt like a lifeline.”

Rameel Riaz, the new trainee data quality assistant, said, “I’m looking forward to working in a team that I can learn from and to implement the skills I’ve picked up from university.”

Naomi Exton, Steps To Success project advisor for Six Town Housing, said: “Kickstart is such a great opportunity for young adults who are struggling to take their next step in life with the added pressures of the pandemic.

"It has enabled organisations like ours to open up new positions for young people to gain valuable on-the-job experience, building up their confidence and skills for a future career.

"Kick Start complements our Steps To Success programme, which provides employment and training support to those living in the neighbourhoods we manage, and is helping us in our aims to tackle long term unemployment across the borough.”

Six Town Housing tenants looking for volunteering, courses or job opportunities in the Bury area, can visit: stepstosuccess.com