Take the Next Step

These 13 Shared Prosperity Funded projects are supporting Belfast residents into work.

Belfast Works Connect supports economically inactive individuals to enter, progress in employment and fulfil their personal potential through a wraparound package of support. Your client journey will consist of engagement, one to one personalised action planning, personalised employability and skills pathways, personalised employment support leading to employment or volunteering opportunities, and aftercare support to address any crisis points or barriers and ensure a smooth transition.

Organisations: Upper Springfield Development Trust [Lead Partner], East Belfast Mission, GEMS NI, Impact Training, Ashton Community Trust

For more information, visit www.belfastworksconnect.com (link opens in new window), or call 028 9032 2003.

Building Futures provides a holistic, person-focused approach to supporting some of the hardest to reach women across Greater Belfast to improve their confidence, self-efficacy, life and work skills. It offers training in areas such as DIY, construction skills, employability skills, personal development and goal setting, business start-up and numeracy and IT skills. Each participant is supported through one-to-one sessions with a dedicated mentor and will have the opportunity to access a training bursary to enable them to gain specialised qualifications to support them into employment. Building Futures has established links with employers who have committed to providing work taster days and work experience, attending ‘meet local employers’ events, interview and cv skills support, and interviews for job opportunities.

Organisations: WOMEN'STEC (Training, Enterprise and Childcare) [Lead Partner], Bolster Community, Women in Business.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 9074 9810.

Empower is an employment support programme for adults who are economically inactive, have a disability, health condition, or identify as being autistic or neurodivergent. Empower helps people to prepare for work, get into work and supports them while in work. It’s delivered by a partnership of three leading local disability organisations who share and exchange of knowledge and expertise. Empower will support 2,000 adults into work over the next two years.

Organisations: Ulster Supported Employment Limited (USEL) [Lead Partner], Disability Action NI and Specialisterne NI

For more information, email [email protected] or call 07833 208369.

Explore Enterprise Support Service supports economically inactive individuals to develop a range of skills (interpersonal, enterprise and employability) through personalised one-to-one support including mentoring, workshops, a qualification, and coordinating additional support from the wider support ecosystem. The service provides an insight into starting a business or allows participants to take the first steps to gaining employment. The service aims to identify and address the obstacles preventing individuals from becoming self-employed or entering the workforce, ensuring a smooth transition towards economic activity. We also collaborate with the wider support ecosystem to offer additional holistic assistance and guidance.

Organisations: Enterprise Northern Ireland Ltd [Lead Partner]; Enterprise Agencies: Ballymena, Banbridge, Carrickfergus, Craigavon Industrial Development Organisation, Cookstown, Down, East Belfast, Causeway, North West, Fermanagh, Inspire, LEDCOM, Lisburn, Mallusk, Newry, North City, North Down, Omagh, Ormeau, Ortus, Roe Valley, Strabane, Work West, Workspace and Prince's Trust NI

For more information, email [email protected] or call 077195 30627.

Maximise Employment is available to all eligible economically inactive NI residents. We aim to empower our clients to give them the skills that employers want by offering practical help and support to transition them back into meaningful employment.

The support lasts an average of eight weeks and sessions include CV and confidence building, interview skills and tips on job-searching. As part of our commitment to our client’s success, we provide a weekly allowance to support them during their employability journey, access to fully funded external training courses, and training to improve their numeracy skills. There are also several sessions built into the programme to help clients once they secure employment to deal with any issues faced in the transition back into employment which is vitally important as far as sustainability is concerned.

Organisation: Bryson Charitable Group

For more information, email [email protected].

Moving Forward Moving On (MFMO) provides intensive mentoring support for those furthest away from the labour market, facing multiple barriers to progression, targeting those who were previously excluded from mainstream education, are not in education, training or employment (NEET), and those with a history of offending.

Three key elements are:

• Addressing multiple barriers to progression [soft skills]
• Effective signposting to support services; and
• Progression monitoring and support.

In addition to intensive mentoring support, participants will receive accredited courses in employability skills, life skills and personal development. The project is based in Nelson Street, Belfast and works primarily in the Greater Belfast area.

Organisations: Extern [Lead Partner] and Business and the Community.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 9027 8189 or 07436 831556.

PROSPER is a unique collaborative programme delivered by a partnership of five organisations, offering distinct opportunities and support, drawing on experiential learning within award-winning social enterprises, highly effective employment services and bespoke employer-focused academies. PROSPER will “engage with economically inactive people, including those with a disability to participate in opportunities to get results and retain employment achieving success” and support individuals to gain and sustain employment, increase numeracy level and life skills, maximise inclusion, reduce poverty, increase health and wellbeing, progress in their career and realise their full potential.

Organisations: Triangle Housing Association Ltd [Lead Partner]; Access Employment Ltd; Appleby Trust; Compass Advocacy Network; Stepping Stones NI.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 2766 6880.

SkillSET aims to provide employment support for those with convictions. Niacro SkillSET Project Workers walk alongside participants on their journey towards employment, empowerment, and independence as they prepare for release from prison or continue their rehabilitation in the community after receiving a conviction.

SkillSET is for adults in Northern Ireland with a conviction who would like support with employment or support to pursue vocational training and employment in:

• construction
• hospitality, leisure and tourism
• warehousing

Our project provides practical advice and guidance - tailored to your needs. We can provide support with access to training, qualifications, work experience and employment. Our team is friendly and will never judge, and we can provide support for up to six months after getting a job to provide holistic support and reduce the risk of reoffending.

Organisation: Niacro

For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 9032 0157.

SkillSET: (SET – Support, Employment, Training) will deliver an innovative programme of specialist employment preparation and training with particular emphasis on those with disabilities and or health conditions across Northern Ireland through a partnership of seven regional and national disability voluntary sector organisations, all with vast experience of supporting economically inactive people towards securing sustainable employment.

Organisations: Action Mental Health (AMH) [Lead Partner]; Cedar Foundation; Orchardville; NOW Group; Royal National Institute of Blind People; Mencap; Adapt NI

For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 9027 8283.

Women Breaking Barriers NI engages women in training and skills development through intensive wrap-around support and programmes with proven benefits in improving wellbeing. Training includes the GOALS motivational programme, WorldHost Customer Service and a bespoke Health and Social Care programme which increases interpersonal and life skills. Participants can take part in a variety of job-searching activities such as CV building, inspirational talks and money management workshops. Afterwards they are supported to progress onto further training or employment. Eligibility may include women who are not in paid work and may include groups such as mums with young children, women with disabilities, refugees, BAME women, those seeking career change or getting back into work.

Organisations: Women's Resource and Development Agency (WRDA) [Lead Partner]; Northern Ireland Rural Women’s Network; Women's Support Network; Atlas Women’s Centre; Ballybeen Women’s Centre; Falls Women’s Centre; Footprints Women’s Centre; Greenway Women’s Centre; Shankill Women’s Centre; Windsor Women’s Centre.

For more information, email [email protected] or call 028 9023 0212.

Work It Out supports those with low or no qualifications in maths. Participants will be provided with mentoring support and into learning pathways, either through entry level to level two qualifications, or to non-qualification numeracy modules aimed at meeting identified needs, such as, helping with homework, managing home finances or math for DIY. Bespoke mentoring support will meet individual needs, for example job search, employment support, reducing barriers to learning and widening opportunities. Numeracy classes will be either face to face or by Zoom.

Organisation: Dairy Farm People First Ltd  

For more information, email [email protected] or call 07786 272022.

YouthStart (Springvale Training Ltd) offers an innovative approach to developing the skillset of people who are currently economically inactive; improving confidence, increasing work readiness, and providing opportunities for them to enter the workforce within Belfast’s economic growth sectors. Each cohort runs for a period of 20 weeks. All participants undertake essential skills training with a strong emphasis on numeracy and all completers will achieve at least a Level 1 numeracy qualification.

The following illustrates some of the supports participants will access: personal action plans, mentoring, one-to-one support, referrals where appropriate to specialist services, group sessions, access to Employability, IT, Numeracy Tutors, Employer Liaison Officer, Health & Wellbeing Officer, industry specific training, qualifications, job search training, multi-CV development, interview techniques, presentation skills, digital or IT skills development.

Organisation: Springvale Training Limited

For more information, email [email protected] or call 07485 394456.

YouthStart (Lead Partner – Youth Action NI) is an exciting new NI wide youth employability partnership initiative involving seven leading youth work charities. It uses a youth work approach to build young people’s skills for life, learning and work. The consortium partners deliver employability, specialist life and basic skills support to grow young people’s confidence, skills and improve prospects to enter, sustain and progress in the labour market. Project activities, delivered at local level across 11 councils, will use a flexible youth work approach in safe spaces in local youth, and community settings.

Organisation: YouthAction Northern Ireland [Lead Partner]; Bytes Project; Princes Trust NI; Start360; Springboard Opportunities Ltd; Include Youth; NI Youth Forum

Clare Conlon, [email protected]

Further information

If you would like to receive a SlideDeck with more information on each of these SPF Projects, email [email protected].

Our Gateway to Choices service aims to support Belfast residents who aren’t currently working, but would like to get a job, or return to work. 

For further advice or to talk to someone about your options, contact our Gateway to Choices Service).