A CAMPAIGN aiming to help jobless young people get into work, education or training has been launched by a North-East social enterprise.

Groundwork North East is delivering Nu-Traxx in County Durham, alongside Stockton Riverside College and The Salvation Army’s Employment Plus programme on behalf of Pertemps People Development Group.

The programme is part of the Government’s Youth Contract scheme, which is aimed at helping young people who are not in education, employment or training (NEET), to engage in courses leading to careers, and is open to 16-17 year olds with no good GCSEs.

Sunderland College, careers service provider, IGEN, The Prince’s Trust and employment support charity The Morrison Trust are delivering provision across the rest of the region.

In the third quarter of this year, the North-East had the second highest percentage of 16 to 24-year-old NEETs in the country, at 21 per cent, compared to the national average of 17 per cent, in the third quarter of this year, according to Government figures.

During a three year period, the Youth Contract aims to engage and recruit more than 4,000 young people across the region, offering them one-to-one support to help them reach their full potential by breaking down barriers to education, employment and training.

It will deliver help to young people by identifying their talents and interests through team building activities and skills based workshops.

Kate Culverhouse, managing director of Groundwork North East, said: “Nu-Traxx will play an integral part in achieving one of Groundwork’s core aims, which is to furnish young people with the skills and confidence to secure employment and go on to thrive in the workplace.

“Young people are our future and it is vital for them personally and for the economic wellbeing of the region that they are given the support to allow them to meet their full potential and make a contribution to the society.”

For more information on Nu-Traxx in County Durham, contact Groundwork North East on 0191-527-3333