Employment minister Chris Grayling has said that he expects charities to be active in the delivery of the government’s new £1bn Youth Contract, especially in the section for 16 to 17-year-olds.

The Youth Contract was announced last year by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Under the contract 410,000 new work places, 250,000 work experience placements and more funding to support apprenticeships will be made available over the next three years for 18 to 24-year-olds.

A roundtable was held yesterday with 18 charities and minister for civil society Nick Hurd, employment minister Chris Grayling and skills minister John Hayes, to discuss how the Youth Contract would work.

After the meeting, employment minister Chris Grayling (pictured) told civilsociety.co.uk that he expected to see charities getting involved in the 16-17 year-olds section of the programme.

Graham Perry, director of youth, employment and skills at Groundwork, which hosted the roundtable, told civilsociety.co.uk that during the meeting ministers seemed minded to open a tender process, for the 16 to 17-year-old section of the programme, with contract sizes more accessible to smaller, specialist organisations.

Grayling also said he hoped that charities would use the financial support available to take on apprentices and create work experience placements.

Through the Youth Contract, DWP will be providing 160,000 Wage Incentives worth up to £2,275 to employers who recruit 18 to 24-year-olds who are unemployed, claiming benefits and participating in the Work Programme.

Employers in the voluntary, charity and social enterprise sector who can offer sustainable jobs to young people will be able to benefit from the Wage Incentive.