Funding for charity helping young people find work

The charity runs a cafe and shop where young people can learn practical work skills

A charity which helps young people to gain the skills needed to find a job has been given £294,000 to expand its service.

The funding for Young Somerset, based in Taunton, has come from the National Lottery Community Fund.

The charity runs a cafe and shop at the Taunton library, where young people can learn about working in retail or hospitality.

Siobhan Gallagher, head of service at the charity, said: "We work with some of the more complex young people in the county, young people who struggle with mainstream education."

Young Somerset, formed as Somerset Rural Youth Project in 1997, supports approximately 5,000 young people in the county each year.

Since 2021, the charity has developed its Bold and Brave shop and cafe in Taunton, to offer practical sessions for young people who may otherwise struggle to access employment opportunities.

The charity says the National Lottery Community Fund money will allow it to extend the Bold and Brave initiative into at least two other areas in the county.

Ms Gallagher added: "We're really pleased about this funding to support employment support over the next three years for people between 16 and 25 years old."

She said that the charity hopes to offer its services in Sedgemoor and the Mendips next.

Heather Shearer, lead member for Children’s Services at Somerset Council, said it was "important" that young people can access support to "raise their aspirations".