Mapping New Pathways to Employment Report
The Accord project has been an important step in Cresco's growth in understanding unemployment. Our report entitled Mapping New Pathways to Employment is a means of capturing and sharing lessons learned. Copies of the report are available from The Cresco Trust Ltd.
Creating Pathways to Employment Conference - 11th May 2005
The 2001 Employability Scoping Study in Northern Ireland pointed out that "Policy-making … is about establishing what needs to be done - examining the underlying rationale for and effectiveness of policies - then working out how to do it and reviewing on an ongoing basis how well the desired outcomes are being delivered." The Creating Pathways to Employment Conference was an opportunity to contribute to the debate on future policy strategies to promote employability.
The event took place in The University of Ulster - Magee Campus and brought key partners together. We were delighted to have speakers from the European Commission, government, the private sector and the social economy. We were also pleased to extend this invitation in partnership with The University of Ulster (School of Policy Studies - Magee).
Coalface Burnout - 2nd December 2004
The level of personal commitment and energy of those who deliver programmes on-the-ground is absolutely key to success.
This workshop event provided the means for community development workers to reflect on the specific stresses that delivery of programmes place on them. Such stresses, if not appropriately addressed, directly affect project quality and effectiveness.
Our facilitator was Dr Scott Brown (GP / Member of RCGP / Professor at University of Ulster). Dr Brown has delivered a programme on personal care, stress, and time management to other professional groups who face similar issues.
Tools for Community Development - 1st February 2005
The community sector is a significant part both of civic society and the economy in Northern Ireland. The development of this sector has been shaped by the social and economic circumstances in our community. It has also grown in the context of the recent conflict in Northern Ireland.
This event aimed to facilitate a process of partnership, learning and cooperation between all parts of our community for a common goal of development.
Our speaker at this event was Mr Tunde Banjoko, Chief Executive of LEAP. This organisation works primarily in the black community in London.
Executive Summary
This document has been prepared as a result of a brief outline evaluation of the inaugural meeting of the Global Social Enterprise Forum which took place in Derry/Londonderry in September 2006. The evaluation was carried out by The Cresco Trust Ltd and consisted solely of the analysis of those evaluation forms which had been returned by the first week in October 2006.
Quantitative and qualitative techniques were used to analyse the responses (17 completed evaluation forms). The fixed response questions were analysed to establish the frequency with which particular responses were given. This analysis was supplemented by the qualitative analysis of the free response answers to establish categories of responses.
The analysis of those questions with fixed responses is presented first followed by those with free responses. Both are then interpreted to ascertain the key findings arising from the evaluation forms. Finally, recommendations for the design, organisation and hosting of any future conferences are made.
Applications to receive full copies of the above cited reports/documents may be made in the first instance to Dr. Annette Begley, Research and Policy Officer, The Cresco Trust Ltd. (Tel: 028 71269400 or email annette@crescotrust.com).
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Executive Summary
This document has been prepared in order to allow conference delegates to reflect on the issues which arose in the course of the recent inaugural meeting of the Global Social Enterprise Forum. An outline is provided of the speaker presentations and a report given on the remarks made by each of the speakers, together with contributions from the floor. A report is also given on the summative sessions which were used by the conference facilitator, Marie Taylor, to draw together the learning from all the addresses and sessions, acting as a guide for reflection.
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The following is the abstract for the above article which appeared in the Policylink Bulletin (published by the Policy Innovation Unit) in September 2006.
Abstract
Given the natural affinity between the Sustainable Development agenda and the Third sector, this article focuses on the work of a social enterprise based in the North West - The Cresco Trust Ltd. Having briefly explored the mission and values which underpin that work, the article goes on to highlight two projects which Cresco presently runs (amongst others). The article concludes by offering thoughts on how Cresco's work complements the current sustainability agenda within policy-making in Northern Ireland.
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Executive Summary
This document aims to provide an overview of the Think Tank Series which was run jointly by The Cresco Trust Ltd. and INCORE (University of Ulster). Following a brief introduction, a skeletal evaluation of the series is undertaken. Notes from each of the seminars in the series are then presented within the document together with a brief teasing out of the themes which emerged in the course of the debate. Finally, recommendations for advancing the learning from the Think Tank series are made. The emphasis lies firmly on the fact that, although the community and voluntary sector is in flux, a proactive, strategic and forward-looking approach needs to be adopted to take the lessons learned through participation in this seminar series and move forward from this juncture.
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Executive Summary
Under the auspices of EQUAL, the Cresco Trust Ltd. has launched the Key Project which aims to enhance the employability of individuals who have difficulty accessing the labour market or may have barriers to employment. At the core of this project is an innovative model which delivers attitudinal training and prepares the individual for the world of work - the STRIVE© workshop. The workshop empowers participants, encouraging them to develop the 'soft' skills and tools necessary for finding and keeping a job in the current labour market. Staff liaise closely with local employers to ensure that employer needs are being met as well as those of the STRIVE© graduates.
The need for the delivery of soft skills training has recently been highlighted by statutory bodies who believe that mainstream provision may not be effective for all participants in contributing to their 'work readiness' or 'employability'. The Key Project addresses this lacuna in mainstream initiatives by delivering complementary service provision.
Although at an early stage of implementing the STRIVE© Model, the Key Project has already identified instances of best practice which could, in practice, impact upon future implementations of the model. At a research level, the ways in which the Key Project might address current gaps in United Kingdom and Northern Ireland employment policy have begun to be explored.
Adopting the stance of Janus (the Roman god of entrances and exits who looked both forward and backward simultaneously), this document celebrates the distance already travelled in establishing the Key Development Partnership and importing the STRIVE© model while also anticipating the final outcomes of the project which will be fully discussed in the research report to be launched near the end of the project in 2007.
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