Mayor allocates £23m for training opportunities

12:33 2nd April 2009

London mayor Boris Johnson has allocated £23 million towards providing young offenders with training opportunities.

Individuals will have the opportunity to take part in courses both before and after being released from young offender institutions, while London-based teenagers between the ages of 14 and 19 who are not attending school will also qualify for the Time for Action scheme.

The intention is to convince young people to develop higher aspirations and pursue apprenticeships, which could then lead onto computer training courses and other options.

Mr Johnson said: "My priority is providing life-changing opportunities to young Londoners who have fallen out of the education system or need steering away from a life of crime and this funding is a major step in delivering this."

Training opportunities are being provided in response to a surge in teenage violence in London last year, which resulted in a significant number of gang-related deaths.

Public sector union Unison recently called on the government to raise the minimum wage for young adults in apprenticeships.