£10m fund to help 1,400 Black Country youngsters

The money from the Big Lottery Fund is being aimed at 18 to 24-year-olds who have been out of work or education for more than a year – as well as carers, ex-drug addicts and young offenders.

Six 'hubs' are to be set up in Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall from September, although locations have yet to be revealed.

The scheme, called Talent Match Black Country, is intended to help them overcome their individual problems that stop them getting into work.

It will work with young parents, travelling families, disabled young people and the homeless and get them in touch with employers and help them to develop skills.

There will also be mentoring of each individual young person involved by trained workers including those who have been through the same problems.

The project is being overseen by Wolverhampton Voluntary Sector Council.

Its chief executive Ian Darch said: "Young people themselves will be at the very centre of this and will make up half of the steering group.

"We want to help young people who have been out of employment, education or training for 12 months or more and support them into work.

"Each young person will be working with a mentor."

Young people will be referred to the scheme through the Job Centre or through the private companies providing the Government's Work Programme, which provides personalised support to people to find work.

Details have emerged a week after Wolverhampton South East MP Pat McFadden revealed a scheme he had set up to offer young people work experience had helped 220 into jobs over two years.

The unpaid placements were offered by employers, including New Cross Hospital, brewing giant Marston's and Beacon Centre for the Blind.

Others, such as the Robin 2 music venue, Bilston, Barnshaw Steel Bending, Coseley, and water cooler firm Angel Springs, Ettingshall, also offered places.

In its first year 157 work experience placements were taken up and 45 young people got jobs.

But a report on the results of the second year from JobCentre Plus shows that a further 380 places were offered, resulting in 179 young people getting jobs.

The figures include those who got jobs with employers other than the one they did their work experience with. The scheme has had a success rate of 47 per cent.