Neighbourhood named as jobless blackspot (From Swindon Advertiser)

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Neighbourhood named as jobless blackspot

11:00am Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Scott D'Arcy

Youth unemployment has reached an all time high in Parks. Pictured is Amanda Stewart, 23, who has never had a job

A NEIGHBOURHOOD in Swindon was named yesterday as a blackspot where youth Unemployment has reached emergency levels.

More than one in eight young people aged between 16 and 24 are claiming Jobseekers’ allowance in Parks ward – at a terrible cost to themselves and the country, a report said.

The ward – where 13 per cent of under 24s are claiming the allowance is among 600 blackspots where the jobless count is twice the national average.

The number of “Neets” – those not in employment, education or training, in the blackspots was likely to be as high as one in three, the study by the Association Of Chief Executives Of Voluntary Organisations warned.

Shopping in Cavendish Square yesterday was Amanda Stewart, 23, who has never had a job since leaving school.

The mother-of-two, whose four siblings are also struggling to find work, said: “I’ve applied for all sorts, from bar work to cleaning to shop work but had no luck.

“They keep saying I haven’t got enough experience – but I’ve got four kids which I always clean up after.

“My brother even got turned down for a job at McDonald’s because he wasn’t qualified enough.

“I think the Government needs to do more to help because it’s not like we’ve not been trying.”

South Swindon MP Robert Buckland said: “This report makes some important recommendations, such as collaborative working, and we’ve already recognised that here in Swindon.

“I’m already talking to JobCentre Plus and Forward Swindon about developing new ways in which we can reach out to young unemployed people in Parks and elsewhere in the town.

“It’s important to note there are some good news stories for Swindon in this report too.

“For instance, the proportion of employers taking on young people is twice as high in Swindon as in some other areas.

“I’ve already been in contact with the authors of this report and we’ll be having a meeting to discuss its findings.

“Sadly, youth unemployment has been rising for many years, not just under this Government, and we’re doing everything we can to tackle it.”

Labour leader Jim Grant said: “It is enlightening and concerning that Swindon has been deemed by this report as an unemployment hotspot.

“While some good things are being done to address youth unemployment, like the Plan 500 scheme, more has to be done by the Government and the council.

“Unemployment isn’t a price worth paying and I believe that those communities that have high unemployment can be scarred for a generation.”

Comments(41)

captain john says...
11:22am Wed 8 Feb 12

Come on Adver, have you lost the plot? You said in the articale ; The mother-of-two, whose four siblings are also struggling to find work, said: “I’ve applied for all sorts, from bar work to cleaning to shop work but had no luck.

“They keep saying I haven’t got enough experience – but I’ve got four kids which I always clean up after.

Which does she have 2 or 4 children??????