See also, the Youth Employment Forum page.
New instructions for gateway organisations
NEW FAQs for the Kickstart Scheme
Together the community has come together, supported one another by sharing good practice, resources, answering questions and problem solving. If you have a question about Kickstart, you may find it here via the Frequently asked questions. If you do not find an answer to your question please raise it with the team at [email protected].
Latest and most commonly asked questions
Does the grant payment include VAT?
What happens if the placement doesn't work out for either the young person or the employer?
Who do I get in touch with if I have a query about an existing application or grant?
Can ESF participants be referred to the Kickstart Scheme?
You can also view and share the FAQs page directly using the following link https://ersa.org.uk/kickstartfaqs.
Join the conversation
The Kickstart Community Forum is open to all organisations interested in making the scheme work. If you would like to contribute to the community page by sharing resources like templates, links to services or solutions, have an idea for a blog or future agenda item that would be of interest please get in touch with the ERSA Team via [email protected].
The next Kickstart Community Forum meeting
5 May, 10am - 12pm
Approved gateways, existing employers and employers interested in taking advantage of the Kickstart Scheme can register in advance here.
Agenda items
- Positive news stories
Kickstart Community Forum members are encouraged to share progress and good practice - Finance/payments update
- Q&A with DWP
Updates and outstanding queries
Contribute to a future agenda, or tell us who you want to hear from by emailing the ERSA Team via [email protected]
Next forum dates are 2 June, 7 July, 4 August, 1 September, 6 October, 3 November and 1 December 2021 all at 10am - 12pm.
Full details, latest updates can be found at gov.uk.
Find past Kickstart events and updates on ERSA's YouTube Channel here
ERSA writes open letter to the chancellor calling for extension to Kickstart
The Kickstart scheme should be extended beyond December 2021, ideally to the end of 2022, and the scheme’s eligibility requirements widened to help support more young people. see ERSA's open letter on behalf of the Kickstart Community Forum to the chancellor supporting this in FE News here
More support for an extension to the Scheme
Five reasons to extend Kickstart from the Youth Employment Group
Extend Kickstart scheme deadline by six months - CBI President
What good looks like for the Kickstart Scheme
- Our eight core principles for the Kickstart Scheme, read more
- Call for Job Opportunity Guarantee
- Good Youth Employment Charter And 1000 Opportunities Campaign Launched September 2020 Read more
- GMCA on The GM Young Person’s Guarantee
- London Councils, boroughs and the Greater London Authority have drafted a short guide for promoting high-quality placements through the Kickstart scheme, read more.
- The TUC have called for Kickstart to deliver: Good quality jobs with training built in; Additional jobs of real value to the community; The programme must be based on equality from the start and Employers should top up wages read more
Shared resources
Please note, resources shared here, particularly DWP templates may not be the most up to date are intended to act as a guide to aid applications and further support for employers and gateways. Do check latest versions, through official sources like gov.uk, your DWP Kickstart District Account Manager, or your gateway organisation. Please help the ERSA Team by informing us if something is out of date or missing and we will endeavour to correct.
Note: the following documents have been provided by our Kickstart community, not officially through DWP
Gateway remittance advice example
Vacancy template (word document)
Kickstart Scheme – Grant Offer Letter for Gateways
Variation Template - Grant Agreement Addition Gateway (word document)
The Kickstart Vacancy Template – A completion guide
Kickstart Account Managers - not currently available
Mencap presentation – making Kickstart inclusive
Mencap – Kickstart scheme outline
Mencap is a learning disability charity and Kickstart gateway organisation
Arriva - Example of travel voucher schemes
Arriva - Presentation slides
Mike Kent, Arriva (8 April)
Introducing the Essential Skills Academy for Young People
Presentation slides
Rosa Morgan-Baker, Director of Development, Skills Academy (8 April)
Related content and announcements
ERSA responds to 25 January Kickstart announcement
Kickstart Scheme opens for employer applications on 2 September
£2bn package announced on 8 July as part of the governments ‘Plan for Jobs’
Please use the Frequently asked questions log to search for previously answered questions.