Youth employment scheme is a success

CROSSCARE - East Wicklow Youth Service (EWYS) & Kildare Wicklow Educational Training Board (KWETB) were delighted to see the participants of the first Youth Employability Initiative pilot project receive their certificates of achievement recently. The KWETB received funding from POBAL Dormant A/C to run two YEI Initiatives in Arklow and Bray.

The project was run over a one year period and developed to target and engage thirty young people aged 18-24 years in Arklow. All those who participated were on the live register for over four months and were looking for support to help get into training or employment.

The programme which was run from The Vault, used different methods to help participants to develop the social, emotional and cognitive skills necessary for developing career identity and work readiness. It included a programme made up of short modules, CV preparation, application support and work placements offered and supported by local business. A youth worker was employed to mentor all the young people and identified areas they were interested in pursuing for career/ job and then assisted then to secure work experience locally. Local employers very receptive to accepting young people on work experience once the mentor had spoken to them and discussed the projects aims.

Of the 30 young people who took part nine moved on to employment and 21 to further education or training.

Cllr Tommy Annesley with Eddie Fitzgerald, Holly Farrell and Niall Kinsella, who earned a Certificate in Digital Film-making.

Cllr Tommy Annesley with Ryan Petman, Niall Kinsella, Mark Dunne and Mark O’Connell from the Youth Employment initiative.

Brenda Delaney of the KWETB, Niall Kinsella, Elizabeth Kavanagh, Ruth Doyle, Maura McMillian, Amela Kulenovic, Cait Elliott, Cllr Tommy Annesley, Anthony Byrne and Mary Mooty at the Youth Studies certificate presentation.