Employment boost for Larne youth

Forty young people who are not in employment, education or training are to be given paid employment thanks to a pilot project developed in Larne.
By The Newsroom
Published 11th Nov 2013, 23:00 BST
Interlocking the cogs of enterprise, employment and education: Sandara Kelso-Robb (centre) executive director of Lloyds TSB Foundation for NI and advance programme managers Audrey Murray (left) and Anne Walsh launch a unique new project which will provide employment for 40 Neets (young people not in employment, education or training). INLT 45-651-CONInterlocking the cogs of enterprise, employment and education: Sandara Kelso-Robb (centre) executive director of Lloyds TSB Foundation for NI and advance programme managers Audrey Murray (left) and Anne Walsh launch a unique new project which will provide employment for 40 Neets (young people not in employment, education or training). INLT 45-651-CON
Interlocking the cogs of enterprise, employment and education: Sandara Kelso-Robb (centre) executive director of Lloyds TSB Foundation for NI and advance programme managers Audrey Murray (left) and Anne Walsh launch a unique new project which will provide employment for 40 Neets (young people not in employment, education or training). INLT 45-651-CON

The £300,000 unique new programme has been developed and managed by Larne Enterprise Development Company Ltd (LEDCOM) in conjunction with Enterprise Northern Ireland and funded by Lloyds TSB Foundation for NI in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group.

This is the single largest award given in the Foundation’s history.

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The project is the first of its kind in the UK and aims to get young people into “fulfilling careers and boost social enterprise businesses”.

The Advance Programme will give 40 young people, aged between 18 and 26, 24 weeks’ paid employment in a range of social enterprises throughout Northern Ireland with the goal of transforming these short term posts into permanent jobs.

Programme manager Audrey Murray said: “This will be the first step on the ladder to success for the young person and an opportunity to expand and grow for the social enterprise.

“In essence, we are interlocking the cogs of enterprise, employment and education to create permanent jobs.”

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Before taking up their posts, each of the young people will complete Enterprise Northern Ireland’s Exploring Enterprise Programme, which gives them a recognised qualification in business studies, helps develop their entrepreneurial skills and prepares them to take up employment. They will then receive mentoring support and attend interviews with the social enterprises.

The participating businesses are companies that are seeking to grow and expand staff numbers; they will be ideally placed to bring in innovative young people with energy and creative ideas.

“These are real jobs, not a placement and our goal is that at least 50% of the recruits will be retained by the companies. It’s up to each young person to make that happen. They have 24 weeks to prove to employers that they have what it takes,” Audrey continued.

The programme is now recruiting unemployed young people aged 18-26. They are seeking both graduates and young people with no qualifications who want a career in business. The recruits will then be placed in a social enterprise that is ready and in a position to employ new staff.

For further information, contact Audrey Murray on 028 2826 9973 or e-mail [email protected]

Related topics:LarneLloyds Banking Group