Passport to Work is an innovative programme designed by the Club’s dedicated Enterprise Team to empower young people, aged 14 upward, with the necessary skills to give them a better chance of gaining and maintaining employment in today’s competitive environment.

The scheme aims to help young people gain the vital employability skills they need and work towards an understanding of employer’s expectations, the recruitment process and roles within an organisation with the ultimate aim of helping them make informed decisions about their future career.

To gain a blank ‘passport’ young people have to complete a CV, take part in interview skill workshops alongside a mock face-to-face and telephone interview.

‘Passport’ stamps are then gained through attendance at an employability project where young people learn about how to present themselves in the workplace as well as key skills such as communication, time keeping and telephone skills, taking part in one voluntary placement for a minimum of 20 hours and completing one work experience placement for a minimum of 30 hours.

Young people can also take part in the Club’s National Citizen Service and Duke of Edinburgh programmes to receive a ‘passport’ stamp. 

Once completed, the ‘passport’ is accredited by ASDAN under the Experience at Work Award. We expect many of them to complete more than 150 hours.

Enterprise co-ordinator Philip Burke said: “The Passport to Work scheme has been developed to allow young people access to work experience placements, voluntary work placements, business projects and skills workshops. The aim is that the young people will add multiple experiences to their passport to help them gain the vital skills they need, understand employers expectations and work towards a nationally recognised qualification.

“With youth unemployment at 22%, only 33% of apprenticeships going to those under 25 and the rise in young people struggling with key employability skills and application processes, the Club recognised the need to design a project that meets the needs of businesses and young people and we are delighted to have over 30 young people already signed up to the scheme.”

The Passport to Work programme is backed by the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce, Federation of Small Business, Business Bolton and Bolton College who recognise the employability skills the young people have developed over the course of the project.

Twenty local companies including Gaskells Nursery, Ye Olde Toffee Shop, Telesis, Tesco and GreenThumb have already expressed an interest in offering our young people work placements.

Linda Craig, Early Years Professional at Gaskells Nursery, said: “Passport to Work offers young people a chance to have a taster of professions to see if they would like to move into a career in that specialism as it gives them insight into the requirements of employers.”

If your business can help the Club provide work experience placements as well as voluntary placements, call 01204 540105 or email philip.burke@blgc.co.uk.