Steps 2 Work

Steps to Work was the Department for Employment and Learnings main employment programme, with various strands that offered alternative progression routes for different categories of customers. Job Directions was a subcontractor of the contact holder in the Western Region, South West College. Job Directions was involved in the delivery of a number of strands including, Back to Work, Step Ahead, Skills Development Programme, Essential Skills and First Start.

From April 2013 to September 2015 Job Directions achieved a 34% into employment rate, 101 employment outcomes from 294 customers who completed the programme.

2008-2015

Direct 2 Work

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning, Direct 2 Work was developed by Job Directions in consultation with the Strabane Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership as an innovative way of tackling the issue of youth unemployment. Direct 2 Work offered Young People not in work, education or training, support advice and mentoring regarding their job search under phase one and employers were offered a subsidy if they employed young person for a minimum 16 hours per week job under phase two.

Phase one achieved 9 employment outcomes without using the subsidy, phase two was availed of by 40 customers, 31 were still in employment after the period of subsidy had ended a 77% success rate

2013-2015

Doorstep Job Directions

Funded by the European Social Fund and the Department for Employment and Learning, Doorstep Job Directions was an outreach service targeted at the Neighbourhood Renewal areas within the Strabane District, it was delivered in partnership with locally based community/voluntary sector organisations. In order to engage the hardest to help, employability services were located in local community centres in the most deprived areas, locally based organisations became active stakeholders, hosting the service, recruiting customers and making the service part of what they offered their community.

840 customers engaged with the Doorstep service, 154 progressed directly from the service into employment, 454 were referred to education, training or employment service of whom 162 moved into employment as a result of that engagement giving an overall employment rate of 37.6%

2011-2015

Able for Work

Funded by the European Social Fund, the Department for Employment and Learning and Strabane District Council, Able for Work was designed to assist those with health conditions who claimed Incapacity Benefit or Employment Support Allowance to return to work on a part time basis whilst retaining their entitlement to benefits utilising "permitted work rules."

Customers were able to get a 10 hour per week subsidised job in the community, public or private sector for a period of 26 weeks, they were supported prior to, during and after this subsidised employment in order that they could establish what work their health condition would permit them to do and to source such employment on an ongoing basis.

24% of those who completed Able for Work had an employment, 18 customers obtained employment and ceased claiming benefits, 17 customers obtained employment of less than 16 hours per week retaining their entitlement to health related benefits, 24% of customers had an employment outcome from their participation

2011-2015

Jobs 1st

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning under the Local Employment Intermediary Service Lemis, Jobs 1st was the brand used to deliver the service in Strabane. Job Direction delivered Jobs 1st in partnership with Customized Training Services, each organisation providing an advice, guidance and mentoring service for eligible unemployed and economically inactive individuals living within the Strabane district. The aim of Jobs 1st was to support customers in order to enable them to progress into employment or into education or training which would enhance their employment prospects.

From 2013-2015 Jobs 1st engaged with 655 customers, 75 progressed to a Department for Employment and learning mainstream programme, 41 achieved short accredited qualification, 43 customers obtained employment of less than 16 hours per week and 125 progressed into employment of 16 hours per more per week. Customers who achieved an employment outcome made up 25.6% of the total customer caseload.

2007-2015

NDDP Job Brokering Service

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning and delivered by Network Personnel, Job Directions was a subcontractor for delivery in the Strabane District Council area. The Job Brokering service offered specialist support to individuals claiming Incapacity Benefit or Employment Support Allowance in order to assist them in accessing the labour market.

Job Brokering provided a service to 98 customers, 21 found full time work and ceased claiming benefits, 34 obtaining employment of less than 16 hours per week, giving an overall 56% employment outcome as a result of participation on the Job Brokering Service.

2007-2011

Work Preparation Programme

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning, Job Directions delivered this service to customers referred from 5 jobs and benefits offices, Foyle, Lisnagelvin, Strabane, Omagh and Fermanagh. Aimed at individuals claiming health related benefits, the programme offered intensive one to one support and the opportunity to avail of a work placement.

There were 507 referrals to the service from the various jobs and benefits offices, 265 customers availed of a work placement, 82 of whom progressed to employment or training after the work placement.

2008-2011

Progress2work

Progress2work was funded by the Department for Employment and Learning to provide focused employability advice, mentoring and support to those facing significant barriers to employment due to a history of alcohol or drug misuse, homelessness or having a criminal record. Job Directions delivered the service in the Western area covering, Limavady, Derry, Strabane, Omagh and Fermanagh. The programme was referral driven with customers being referred by specialist organisation who were already dealing with the customer's life issues.

2006-2011

New Deal

New Deal was the Department for Employment and Learning's main employability programme for those claiming Jobseekers Allowance, it contained various strands which were altered and enhanced over the years. Job Directions was a partner in a consortium originally headed by North West Regional College and then Rutledge Joblink which delivered the programme in the Strabane area.

Over the years there were 118 customers aged 18-24, 34 obtaining employment an employment rate of 28.8%. 244 customers aged 25+ availed of options offered by Job Directions, 41 obtaining employment an employment rate of 16.8%.

1999-2008

Able 2 Work

Funded by the Strabane Local Strategy Partnership Able2work was designed by Job Directions to assist those on Incapacity Benefit to return to work via temporary part time employment in the voluntary or social economy sector with associated training and one to one support.

29 customers took part in the programme, 8 obtaining employment of less than 16 hours per week after the programme, with a further 4 obtained employment of 16 hours per week or more after the programme, the overall employment rate was 41.3%.

2007-2008

Strabane Temporary Employment Programmes (Steps2Work)

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning as part of its Targeted Initiatives and managed by the Strabane Local Strategy Partnership. After a competitive tender process conducted by the Strabane LSP, Job Directions was selected to implement this temporary employment programme across the Strabane district. Participants selected from the long term unemployed and economically inactive were able to gain up to 50 weeks paid employment via the programme whilst receiving ongoing support from Job Directions.

95 customers were employed via Step2work with 52% achieving an employment outcome from their participation.

2003-2006

Job Assist Centre

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning as part of its Targeted Initiatives Job Assist Centre was a one to one, advice guidance and mentoring service which focused on identifying a customer's barriers to employment, planning actions to address those barriers, implementing those actions and reviewing progress. Customer could remain on the programme for as long as they felt they were making progress.

95 customers progressed directly into employment a further 45 customers progressed into employment following a training or educational intervention identified for them by the Job Assist Centre service.

2003-2007

Worktrack

Funded by the Department for Employment and Learning, Worktrack was targeted at the long term unemployed and economically inactive, allowing them to gain up to 26 weeks waged work experience. From 1999-2003 all work placements where in the community, voluntary or not for profit sector, from 2003-2005 placements with private sector employers were permitted.

465 participants took part in the programme with 199 direct into employment outcomes giving an overall employment outcome of 42% in the period 2003 to 2005 that rose to 57% employment outcomes.

2003-2007

Community Work Programme

Funded by the Training and Employment Agency, CWP was targeted at the long term unemployed, allowing them to gain up to 3 years work experience working with a community, voluntary or not for profit organisation. Customers retained their entitlement to benefits and received a training premium and expenses.

370 customer took part in the programme, 50% of whom obtained an NVQ level 2 or above qualification and 15% moved directly into employment.

1995-2000