KEY Project - Funded by the European Social Fund through the EQUAL Community Initiative and the Department for Employment & Learning

What is EQUAL?

EQUAL is part of the European Union's strategy for more and better jobs and for ensuring that no one is denied access to them. Funded by the European Social Fund, EQUAL tests new ways of tackling discrimination and inequality experienced by those in work and those looking for a job. These new ideas could change future policy and practice in employment and training.

How it works?

EQUAL operates by bringing together the key players in a geographical area or sector. The different worlds of public administration, non-governmental organisations, social partners and the business sector (in particular SMEs) will work in partnership, pooling their different types of expertise and experience. These Development Partnerships agree a strategy within which they will try out new ways of dealing with problems of discrimination and inequality which they have already pinpointed. Central to the work of each Development Partnership is its links with at least one partnership from another country and its involvement in a network of others dealing with the same theme across Europe. Ideas are being tested with a view to using these results to influence the design of future policy and practice.

The Key Project

Lead Partner: CRESCO Trust Ltd - www.crescotrust.com

The Cresco Trust is committed to providing opportunities to learn, engage, and progress, for those people who are disadvantaged within their own community

The Development Partnership:

The partners involved are representative of employers, community/ voluntary sector, local government and educational/ training providers.

The DP is taking a collaborative approach by working across two council areas - Strabane & Derry

The Key Development Partnership includes:

Londonderry Chamber of Commerce

City Centre Initiative

Strabane Chamber of Commerce

Women in Enterprise

Enterprise Ulster

North West Institute of Further & Higher Education

Strabane District Council

Strabane Community Education Forum

Strabane Community Unemployed Resource Centre

Newbuildings Community & Environmental Association

Off the Streets Initiative

Tullyally & District Development Group

On an Advisory Capacity:

Department of Employment & Learning - North West Regional Office

Derry Local Strategy Partnership

Social Security Office (Lisnagelvin, Foyle & Strabane)

About the Key Project

The Key Project tests new ways of tackling discrimination and inequality experienced by those in work and those looking for a job in the Derry and Strabane area. With the view to changing future policy and practice in employment and training. Specifically, the Key Project focuses on effective strategies to help the hard to employ achieve self-reliance through labour market participation. Engaging with employers who have the capacity to offer employment to individuals who are unemployed and progression to those in low skilled jobs.

Key Project - Rationale

• Builds on the 'lessons learned' from ACCORD Project
• Strabane and Derry are ranked 1^st and 3^rd respectively most deprived districts in N.Ireland, and both have the highest rates of unemployment in N.Ireland
• Unemployment and the resultant poverty are the two main factors that lead to social exclusion

Aims

• To establish an effective working partnership that will enable individuals (employed and unemployed) and employers that will be mutually beneficial to all.
• To implement a new method of intervention that addresses serious issues that cause exclusion.
• To provide a mechanism for the signposting of individuals to mainstream and community provision that can address skills acquisition requirements.

Core Objectives:

• (Re) - Integration into employment for those that are hard to employ
• Progression of those individuals who are in low paid employment but lack the necessary skills to help them integrate and develop their potential.
• Engaging employers, who have the capacity to offer employment

Theses objectives will be achieved through the STRIVE Programme - a completely new model for Northern Ireland. STRIVE (Support and Training Results In Valuable Employees) is an American model first introduced in East Harlem, New York in 1985. Since that time it has experienced enormous successes and rapidly spread across the United States and London.

The STRIVE model is an intensive three week employment training programme that focuses on the soft- skills needed to obtain and retain employment. Individuals involved in the programme learn essential on-the-job skills such as appropriate workplace behaviour and communication, acceptable workplace attire, and how to work as a team. Increasing work readiness, attitude to work and confidence is the bottom line.

In addition to essential soft-skills, participants gain access to mentored job assistance. This includes continued support such as job search resources and long-term career planning.

Additionally the Key Project will work with employers to assist them with identifying skill shortages into which the unemployed and those in low paid employment may progress.

The Target Group is wide ranging from the age of 16 - 65 year old, they include:

Status "O" Young people

Long - term unemployed, men and women

Women returning to work/ education

Young single mothers

Hidden Unemployed (unregistered, socially excluded)

Ethnic minorities

Transnational Work

Central to the work of the Key Development Partnership is our links with Spain and Republic of Ireland. This Partnership called TELS (Tackling Employment with Local Systems) focus on the theme of employability. Meetings are held regularly during the life span on the Project to encourage the exchange of information and good practice throughout Europe.