Introduction
Adult Apprenticeship Scheme
Youth
Community Development Courses
Personal Development Courses
Distance Learning
Tutor Training
Enterprise Education
Wider Horizons
Special Initiative for Men
Personal Empowerment Through Education (PETE)
State Agencies
Introduction:
Adult Apprenticeship Scheme:
Youth:
Community Development Courses:
Personal Development Courses:
Distance Learning:
Tutor Training:
Enterprise Education:
The Partnership also works closely with Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) to support third level students who wish to link their studies to the direct creation of new companies.
Wider Horizons:
Special Initiative for Men:
The Partnership recognises that many long term unemployed people in Dundalk could benefit from appropriate education and training to improve their skills and increase their employment opportunities. The most recent Census findings show that 44.1% of the working age population in Dundalk left school by the age of 15. A local survey in one of the highest unemployment in the town found that 70% in that area had left school by the age of 15.
The establishment of the Local Employment Service (LES) in the town will provide opportunities for long term unemployed people to develop a career path, which includes appropiate education and training. There is a real need for improving access for long term unemployed people to second and third level education. Individuals who have been out of education for a long time have different needs to students going to college straight from school and the Partnership will work to develop better support structures for them. It is important also that teachers, trainers and lecturers understand and have awareness of the needs of adults returning to education and training.
The Partnership will facilitate and support self help groups and support groups for education and training initiatives in which it is involved.
The Partnership will continue to have an input into the development and implementation of education and training programmes initiated by the Partnership. Partnership involvement will allow for greater flexibility as it does not have the same restrictions as the State Agencies. This flexibility is especially important since the needs will change as local communities identify their own requirements.
The Partnership will, in conjunction with local communities and appropriate education and training providers, develop special initiatives aimed at long term unemployed men in their thirties and forties who are experiencing great difficulties re-entering the labour market.
The Partnership is proposing a number of initiatives in the areas of education and training. In addition to the initiatives highlighted below the Partnership will allocate resources to meet the education and training needs of long term unemployed and other disadvantaged groups within the community.
This initiative has provided a unique opportunity for long term unemployed people to learn a craft. There has been a very low uptake amongst women and the Partnership is suggesting that special efforts be made to recruit a number of women who could work together across a number of craft areas and therefore act as support for each other. The Scheme has been operated jointly between the Partnership, the Department of Social Welfare and FAS. It is also proposed that this initiative be operated in the future jointly with the Drogheda Partnership. The active support of the Employers' representatives on both Partnerships will be crucial to its continuing success.
The Partnership is aware that there needs to be a number of specific initiatives targeted at unemployed young people. It will work with local community based groups and the Louth Youth Federation to develop a number of initiatives in this crucial area.
The Board of the Partnership is proposing to develop, in close co-operation with FAS and Co. Louth VEC, a number of Community Development Courses appropiate to the expressed needs of the community.
In conjunction with the local community, the Partnership will develop a range of community based adult learning courses. Funding will be geared towards either equipment or teaching hours as appropiate.
Long term unemployed people have been provided with assistance with fees and other expenses to enable them to take advantage of specific educational opportunities with colleges in Ireland and with the Open University. Close co-operation between the various service providers has enabled this initiative to work successfully during the pilot phase of the Partnership. The initiative will be continued and expanded in order to provide more people with this opportunity.
There are many unemployed adults who have skills that could be passed onto other unemployed people. Examples are cooking, car maintenance and computing skills. With the proper training to enable them to pass on their knowledge in a structured way they may well be able to create a job for themselves by providing training for others. This initiative is intended to enable them to receive recognised training as trainers and certification from organisations such as the Irish Institude of Training and Development.
The Partnership ran a successful Enterprise Education programme over the past two years. This resulted in a large number of secondary schools in Dundalk setting up mini companies. Many of these schools, as well as other organisations involved with young people, took part in a Trade Fair organised by the Partnership.
A local company, ABB, enthusiastically hosted an information day at which local teachers could experience, at first hand, how a major company operates and a number of successful placements were organised for teachers in local businesses.
As part of its Cross Border work, the Partnership has participated in three Wider Horizon Programmes to Canada and the United States in conjunction with partners from Belfast and South Armagh. These initiatives have resulted in 60 people from disadvantaged areas on both sides of the border getting opportunities to get work and business experience in the US and Canada. The Partnership will continue to participate in these initiatives in order to provide further opportunities for long term unemployed people.
There are a considerable number of men in their thirties and forties who have been unemployed for many years in Dundalk. Typically they worked in the traditional industries that declined in Dundalk in the seventies and eighties and many would have left school before the age of 15. It is especially difficult to place them in jobs as most employers are looking for younger people with higher educational qualifications.
The Partnership works with local communities, FAS and the VEC to develop special training initiatives to meet their expressed needs.