There are nearly 1,000 young people out of work in the northern part of Croydon – almost half the total unemployed in the whole of the borough.

Which is why Steve Reed OBE, the MP for Croydon North, is hosting a Jobs Fair at Croydon College this Friday, June 28, from 10am to 3pm.

Reed, who was elected to parliament last November, said, “Throughout the by-election campaign the No1 issue residents raised with me was youth unemployment.

“Since the by-election, long-term youth unemployment has got worse, not better, and it’s higher in Croydon North than in neighbouring areas.” According to the most recent government statistics, long-term youth unemployment, where a young person has been out of work for more than 12 months, has risen in all three Croydon constituencies, with Croydon Central seeing a 16 per cent rise in the past year.

“Our young people are being let down and left behind and we simply cannot allow a whole generation to be thrown on the scrap-heap like the Thatcher government did in the 1980s,” Reed said.

“I’m using my position as MP to bring together local organisations, businesses and community groups to find ways we can work together to give our young people back the future they deserve.”

This Friday’s Jobs Fair is open to any unemployed person aged 18-24 living in Croydon North.

Croydon College will offer on-site advice to help attendees improve their CV and job application skills.

Among the employers who will have stands at the jobs fair are Premier Inn; Morrisons; Transport for London; House of Fraser; Croydon University Hospital; The Prince’s Trust; Crystal Palace Football Club; AIG; Direct Line; British Army; JTJ Construction; Entrepreneurs in Action; G4S; UK Power Networks; Cleshars; and Croydon Council.

Alongside the jobs fair, Reed will host an employment summit, bringing together a wide range of local organisations to discuss how they can work to get local people back to work and bring more jobs to the area. Confirmed participants include Croydon Council, Croydon University Hospital, Croydon Voluntary Action, the BME Forum, and representatives of local schools, businesses, churches, mosques and other community organisations.

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