Introduction Direct Job Creation Self Employment Financial Support Enterprise Training Partnership Court Pacsort Plato Programme Cross Border Enterprise Development Ramparts Improvements
Introduction
Direct Job Creation
Self Employment
Financial Support
Enterprise Training
Partnership Court
Pacsort
Plato Programme
Cross Border Enterprise Development
Ramparts Improvements
Introduction:
Direct Job Creation:
Self Employment:
Financial Support:
Enterprise Training:
Partnership Court:
Pacsort:
Plato Programme:
The Partnership recognises the importance of developing a number of initiatives to increase the employment opportunities for long term unemployed people and other marginalised groups, given the very high levels of unemployment that exist in the town.
The Partnership will build on the success achieved during the pilot phase and continue to provide advice and assistance to individuals starting small businesses. It will continue to encourage an enterprise culture amongst schools and communities with high levels of unemployment. It will, in conjuction with the County Enterprise Board and Newry and Mourne Co-operative, establish mentoring programmes for small businesses under the PLATO programme. The Partnership will continue to employ Enterprise Support staff to help individuals and communities develop their ideas. It will continue to use Community Employment to test business ideas and will sponsor competitions for good business ideas. It will continue to use Community Employment to test business ideas and will sponsor competitions for good business ideas that can be supported because of their job creation potential.
The Partnership has already succeeded in setting up two companies to directly create jobs for unemployed people - Secure Shred and Pacsort, who between them employ 55 peolpe, the majority of whom were long term unemployed. Initiatives such as this need considerable resources to ensure they succeed. Each company was set up as a wholly owned subsidiary of the Partnership with a Board of Directors drawn from people with relevant expertise within the Partnership. It was only possible because those with the relevant expertise within the Partnership are prepared to make this expertise available free of charge to the new companies. The Partnership is committed to direct job creation initatives, particularly because of the reluctance of employers to employ long term unemployed people. It is Board policy to:
(a) ensure that the jobs created do not displace existing jobs and
(b) to dispose of the company and recover the investment once the company is operating successfully.
The Area Enterprise Allowance has proved to be a very important asset in encouraging long term unemployed people to become self employed or establish their own small business. The Partnership continue to support individuals setting up small businesses under this initiative working closely with the Department of Social Welfare on its implementation.
Most of the people taking advantage of the Area Enterprise Allowance have little, if any, experience of business in the past and, because of a lack of collateral, have difficulty obtaining finance from conventional sources.
The Partnership in conjuction with the Bank of Ireland is facilitating a small business loan scheme.
The Partnership in conjuction with the County Enterprise Board will establish a special training initiative to support long term unemployed people starting up their own business. Training will be developed to meet the expressed needs of those starting up businesses under the Area Enterprise Allowance.
The most ambitious project undertaken by the Partnership has been the establishment of an Enterprise Centre. The Centre has been built on a derelict site in the centre of town. The Partnership succeeded in getting the support of the International Fund for Ireland, the European Union, the Department of The Taoiseach, the Department of Equality and Law Reform and FAS. A block of light industrial units has also been built by FAS under the Community Youth Training Programme (CYTP). This is providing valuable training for unemployed young people and contributes significantly to the overall funding of the project. Partnership Court provides shops, offices and light industrial units, as well as a purpose built creche. A number of the light industrial units are reserved for use by long term unemployed people.
The Partnership recognises that long term unemployed people often experience difficulty in getting access to jobs because of employers' perception of them.
The Partnership has recently established Pacsort, a wholly owned subsidiary, to sort bottles for Macardle Moore. The funds from the sale of Secure Shred were used to partially fund this initiative. The company employs 30 people, of whom 70% were unemployed prior to commencing work in Pacsort.
In conjuction with Louth County Enterprise Board and Newry and Mourne Co-Operative the Partnership has established the first ever Cross Border PLATO Programme in Ireland.
The Programme provides support for new and start up businesses on both sides of the border as well as providing mentoring for businesses established under the Area Enterprise Allowance.
The project is co-funded by the IFI, the European Union, LEDU, Newry and Mourne District Council and the Partner organisations.