With the employment landscape changed by Coronavirus, there are fears that the most vulnerable of jobseekers may be overlooked.
The Jersey Employment Trust (JET) has a service which helps young people, who have a disability or long-term health condition and are aged between 14 and 21, to transition successfully from education to the world of work. The majority of young people that they see have mental health issues. Other clients may be on the autism spectrum, have a learning or physical disability.
At a time when students are usually looking forward to their summer jobs and planning what they will be doing come September, the head of JET’s 14-21 Service, Simon Jones, said: “Many of our clients depend on securing some unpaid work experience to develop their skills, learn what work suits them, and demonstrate their employability. However, with employers streamlining their workforces, and offices undergoing significant changes in how they operate, with more people working from home, unpaid work placements will be harder to come by”.
JET’s 14-21 Service currently supports 44 young people, and they have 15 new referrals pending. Simon said: “Generally speaking, life in lockdown has been ok for our clients. Most of their interaction with peers is online and they have kept themselves safe. The real issue is going to be to get them motivated again. It is a particularly tough time, especially with Covid-19 pushing unemployment levels up”.
On 24 May, according to Statistics Jersey, 2,670 people were actively seeking work, a figure that had doubled in six weeks. The figure was also more than double the unemployment rate for the same time in 2019. Now the Jersey Employment Trust is calling on employers in every sector to give young people with a disability or health condition a chance. Simon said: “Cast your mind back to when you were getting your first job. It’s even more important for our clients to be given a helping hand. Once they are established, and they gain confidence, it gets easier”.
In 2019, JET’s 14-21 Service worked with 55 young people to help them find work. They also did introductory work with a further 83 students in all mainstream schools and Highlands College. “We need to continue to give opportunities, at a time when opportunities are thin on the ground”, Simon said. “Even if it is a conversation now, with a view to work tasters, placements – or even jobs – in the autumn, we urge employers to get in touch”.
*Simon Jones can be contacted by calling 07797 842893 or emailing simon.jones@jet.co.je
