A strategy to provide more training and work for young people in building and maintenance was hammered out at a conference in Paisley. Representatives of Youthbuild organisations from all over the UK met at Kibble Education and Care Centre’s conference facility to discuss how best to carry on their vital work in the face of the present economic recession.
Youthbuild is an organisation that started in America and its aim is to create building and property maintenance projects that will give training and job opportunities to teenagers. Paisley South MSP Hugh Henry attending the meeting at Kibble – which has its own job training and enterprise wing called KibbleWorks. He said: “The value of Youthbuild is the work it does in helping young people find real training and jobs who would otherwise be excluded from these opportunities. “We need to give these youngsters skills to compete in the jobs market, particularly in the present economic climate and Youthbuild is doing quality work helping these youngsters do just that.” Kibble’s public policy advisor, Mark Macmillan, who hosted the conference said: “This was a networking meeting attended by Youthbuild representatives from all over the UK. “We came together to discuss how best to move forward and create more building and maintenance projects that are needed to provide training and jobs for youngsters. “We have to re-double our efforts because it’s even more important in the present economic circumstances to help young people get the right training and employment.”