The Public Relations and Communications Association has announced it will act as a representative body for the UK PR and comms industry in the government’s new Kickstart Scheme, a programme which provides funding to businesses to create new six-month job placements for young people (16-24) who are on Universal Credit and long-term risk unemployment.

The scheme needs employers to commit to a minimum of 32 placements, but can allow a body such as the PRCA to run the process for its members. This way smaller firms can join together and pool the placements. Kickstart, the government will fund the National Minimum Wage, National Insurance and pension contributions for 25 hours a week and organisations will receive £1,500 per job placement.

“This new programme has the potential to radically improve the lives of many young people who currently face the bleak prospect of unemployment right at the beginning of their careers. We are proud to represent the UK PR industry, and to offer organisations of all sizes the opportunity to offer jobs to talented individuals. I would strongly encourage employers to grasp this opportunity, and to join us in promoting it,” says PRCA director general Francis Ingham.

According to employment minister Mims Davies MP, the scheme is not only about boosting the UK’s economy but, most importantly, providing different opportunities to young people, including in the world of communications.

“It's a great chance for the profession to play its part in providing a basis for young people to enter the job market and help them better understand the world we operate in,” adds CEO of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Alastair McCapra.

Information on how to apply using the PRCA as a presentative body can be found here.