Hospitality Junior Board programme Rise and Serve returns

Rise & Serve, a Hospitality Junior Board initiative delivered in partnership with The Wenlock Arms in Wheldrake and York Jobcentre, will welcome a new group of young people this September for a fully funded 12-week programme

The initiative gives those taking part the opportunity to design, plan and run their own hospitality event, working alongside industry professionals and gaining hands-on experience in everything from menu creation and marketing to customer service and event delivery.

The programme is open to all young people, particularly those who may not currently be in education, employment or training, are neurodivergent, or are unsure of their next steps.

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The return of Rise & Serve follows a successful pilot in York earlier this year, which saw participants grow in confidence and progress into paid work experience and employment opportunities.

Many of the young people went into permanent hospitality roles, including at Rudding Park in Harrogate, Hotel Indigo in York, Swinton Estate in Masham and Grantley Hall in Ripon

Philip Bolson – Founder of the Hospitality Junior Board, said: “I’m delighted that we’ll be delivering two further Rise & Serve cohorts between September and March next year.

“The pilot we ran earlier this year in York was a real success, with powerful results. We saw a genuine shift in the confidence of the young people who took part, with several completing paid work experience and others progressing into employment within hospitality.

The claimant count figures for July (Image: Pic supplied)

Adam Atkinson, owner of The Wenlock Arms, said: “We are incredibly proud to be hosting the next chapter of Rise & Serve. Having mentored the first cohort, we saw first-hand the difference it made to the young people involved. The impact this initiative has on young people in our community is immeasurable and we hope to support it for many years to come.”

Wendy Mangan, DWP Recruitment & Partnership Manager, said: “Programmes like Rise & Serve demonstrate the difference that strong local partnerships can make. By bringing employers and young people together in a supportive, real-world environment, participants can build confidence, develop practical skills and take positive steps towards employment. The success of the first cohort shows what can be achieved when we create these opportunities.

The programme runs one day a week over 12 weeks at The Wenlock Arms in Wheldrake, with lunch and travel support available. Places are limited.

The initiative comes amid mixed results with the latest claimant count figures in the area.

For July, York has a claimant count of 2525, an increase of five on a year ago. The Over 50s made up 530 of this, a decrease of 20 or 4per cent on July 2025.

In Ryedale, the total claimant count increased 45 or 8 per cent to 610 compared with a year ago. The over 50s made up 185 of this, an increase of 15 or 9 per cent.

In Selby, the total was 1145, a decrease of 40 or three per cent. The over 50s made up 295 of this, a decrease of 45 or 13 per cent compared to July 2025.

*Anyone interested in finding out more about Rise and Service contact gemma@workingourway.co.uk or see their work coach at York Jobcentre.