Brown asks clubs to help youngsters

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Raith Rovers is one of several Scottish clubs taking part in programmes that aim to help new recruits or the unemployed develop skills.

And Mr Brown said that if the scheme was extended across the UK 5,000 people could be helped back into employment.

Raith Rovers is one of several local employers in Fife taking part in a "support employment" scheme. The club is football coaching two recruits to teach them the "soft skills" valued by employers, like team work, communication, and motivation.

Mr Brown told a lunch in his Kirkcaldy constituency: "The support employment programme is a vital way of giving people confidence so they are able to take up job offers when they come along."

He said other clubs taking part are included Dundee, Dundee United and Falkirk.

"In this area, 136 people on the scheme now are mostly in work or ready for work as a result of it. Throughout the whole of the UK, if we got all the football clubs involved, then several thousand people, perhaps 5,000, could be employed as a result of this programme alone."

Mr Brown was speaking at a lunch to mark the achievements so far of the scheme in Fife, where it was launched last November.

The event was also to mark the progress of "local employment partnerships," in which job centres and local employers help prepare benefit claimants for work.

Mr Brown said: "Raith Rovers is not only employing apprentices but running midnight football schemes which I think could be replicated across the UK, getting kids off the streets and into playing sport rather than possibly vandalism and anti-social behaviour," said the Prime Minister. The fact that Raith Rovers is now in the Support Employment Scheme is something that I think is vitally important."