By Mark Hoban, employment minister

LOCAL newspapers provide a valuable service to communities right across the country.

At a time when we know some people need help to find a job which is right for them it’s great to see titles, like the Warrington Guardian taking a proactive approach to helping its readership connect with opportunities that are out there.

Government will continue to work hard to create the conditions for businesses to grow and provide people with the support they need to get back into work.

Nowhere is this more important than for young people who may lack the skills and experience they need to get their foot on the first rung of the careers ladder.

That is why we introduced the Youth Contract, which hugely increases the amount of work experience and apprentice opportunities available for young people And because we know times are tough for businesses, we want to make it easier to employ and train young people.

I would like to encourage businesses across Warrington, be they big multinationals or small family businesses, to take advantage of this and give a local young person the chance to show you what they can do.

But obviously it is not just young people who need our help. That is why we introduced the Work Programme, which is the biggest employment programme this country has ever seen.

Getting people into work is my number one priority, which is why I'm happy to support the Warrington Action For Jobs campaign. Having people in work is good for the individual, good for their families, and good for the local community as a whole.