YOUNG people in the Stroud district will be the first in the county to benefit from a national initiative to help them get into work.

Stroud District Council is the first local authority in Gloucestershire to pledge support for the Backing Young Britain campaign and has already devised a number of schemes to help those between the ages of 16 and 24 get into either work or further education.

The campaign involves creating opportunities for young people by bringing businesses and public voluntary sectors together to ensure that the valuable skills and experience of young people aren’t being wasted.

Cllr Joe Forbes, the council’s cabinet member for community services, said: "Backing this campaign is vital in these tough economic times as we must all ensure that we are investing in the next generation so that business and voluntary organisations can prosper in the future.

"We would urge local businesses to support this scheme and help the district’s young people achieve their full potential."

Schemes that the council has already devised include mentoring pupils in local secondary schools, providing work experience places, apprenticeships and innovative history tours of the council offices for year six pupils aimed at encouraging them into local government.

Stroud District Youth Council has said it will support the main council with the initiative.

Tom Lydon, chairman of SDYC, said: "It's great to see that our district council is willing to invest and support its young people by backing this national campaign. After all, we are tomorrow's engineers, politicians, teachers and care workers."

He added: "As community leaders, the council have made a clear statement that they value the contribution that we as young people make – in backing us to make Stroud district even better, it highlights growing confidence in us to be actively involved now in shaping the future."

Further information on Backing Young Britain can be found at www.hmg.gov.uk/backingyoungbritain