Press Release

Co-Chairpersons for the Local Strategy Partnership set out their 2006 targets

25th October 2005

The Local Strategy Partnership Co-Chairpersons Councillor Seana Hume and Mr Hugh Hegarty have pledged their support over the next twelve months to lead the Partnership in continuing to offer a distinctive and valuable contribution to the local community.

They said, “the Local Strategy Partnership has been operational for four years and during this time it has been engaged with all sectors in promotion of local governance. Some of the greatest value of our work has been in identifying and defining issues that need to be addressed and helping shape these to bring them to the attention of policy makers in a well-formed and meaningful way.

An excellent example of this was the Partnership’s approach to developing employment programmes aimed at bringing those furthest from the labour market into formal employment. Through discussions with the Department for Employment and Learning the Local Strategy Partnership secured a contract for the employment of 109 long-term unemployed people into a fifty week employment contract with local employers under the Transitional Employment Programme. This was a rolling programme and the outputs to date illustrate that of those who have completed their contracts 63.1% have secured employment*. In addition to this programme the Local Strategy Partnership used its PEACE II Funding to develop innovative Intermediary Labour Markets with a range of partners across the Council area. The Partnership continues to advise and influence the Department for Employment and Learning on employment issues through the local Stakeholders Forum.”

In concluding they stated, “it is really important that the potential value of collective working is realised and that suitable structures are defined and resourced to help identify, shape and communicate the needs of individual sectors and communities. The Partnership is one such structure which can link these needs with policy planning, service provision and the allocation of resources. Over the next twelve months we will continue to build on our success strategic alliances and demonstrate the value of partnership working.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

1. The Local Strategy Partnership is a cross sectoral partnership with board members from Derry City Council, local statutory agencies, community and voluntary sector, business sector, trade union sector and agricultural/rural development sector. It was established in September 2001 and has been responsible for the administration of EU funding (£12.5m) and a range of government programmes. In addition through local engagement and consultation developed a three-year Integrated Local Strategy.

2. The Transitional Employment Programme is one of the programmes to emerge from Targeted Initiatives. Targeted Initiatives is one of only 40 recommendations and 12 action points made in a report by the Taskforce on Employability and Long-Term Unemployment. Their aim is to develop an enhanced partnership between the statutory, voluntary and community sectors and employers to address the barriers to employment being experienced by individuals in areas of low employment and high social deprivation. Other key issues addressed in the Report include job creation; the benefits trap; personal advisers; intermediate labour markets; employability skills and career advancement centres; adult training, literacy and numeracy; childcare; transport; learning from best practice and university community partnerships.

3. * 63.1% equates to 12 of the 19 completers having found work. This programme is currently undergoing an independent mid-term evaluation commission by the Department for Employment and Learning as part of the overall progress of Targeted Initiatives.

ENDS

For further information contact Oonagh McGillion, Local Strategy Partnership, Tel. 02871 308466

For additional information contact:

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