Siobhain relaunches her work experience scheme

This week, Siobhain relaunched her work experience scheme, which this year offers 100 different placement opportunities, from 65 different employers.

The scheme is tailored to young people aged 18-24 who are looking to gain work experience, though people who are older are welcome to also apply. And there's a whole host of different opportunities available, from law to retail, construction to accounting, social care to medicine.

The placements begin in January 2016 and last for a minimum of 8 weeks. The voluntary work experience placements are unpaid, but the scheme has been running for 5 years now and they’ve led to hundreds of young people getting into full-time paid employment. 

The placement is vital because unemployment is a real problem amongst young people. As of August 2015 there were 295 young people aged 18-24 who are unemployed in our constituency, that’s 3.3% of all young people in Mitcham & Morden.

Read more about the 2015/16 scheme here

Download a copy of the work experience booklet listing all the available opportunities here

Siobhain said: 'Anyone who’s been unemployed soon after leaving school or university will remember how dispiriting it is not to know where that first opportunity is going to come from.  I remember how youth unemployment scarred our local community in the 1980s, with many families never recovering. I never want to see that happen again. I started my work experience schemes to break the log jam. I was frustrated with young people being turned down for jobs because they didn’t have the experience. Now I have over 65 employers wanting to give someone who is unemployed work experience.

I am proud that this scheme has been so successful in getting young people a foot in the door - and it offers something for everyone, opportunities tailored to all young people whatever their skills, talents or exam results. The response I have had from employers has been fantastic, and I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has offered a placement and to the Mitcham Jobcentre who have been involved in this scheme.

I strongly encourage young people in Mitcham and Morden who are looking for work experience to apply.'

Siobhain will also be hosting a 'Careers Advice Morning’ on Thursday 10th December at Merton Civic Centre, Morden. At this event there will be more information on how to get the best from this opportunity along with advice on interview techniques. We’ll also hear from Ann-Marie who has been on the scheme and can tell you about her experience. The morning lasts for two hours from 11am to 1pm. Coffee will be served from 10.45am with a FREE lunch at 1pm so participants can chat with us informally and ask questions. 

For more information, please get in touch with Billy Christie on 020 8542 4835 or billy@mmlp.org.uk, or drop by the office at 1 Crown Rd, Morden, SM4 5DD (behind the Civic Centre).