West Belfast Job Creation Programme Praised

Lord Mayor, Alderman Brian Kingston, has attended a special business breakfast to celebrate the success of a newly-established integrated employment and training programme changing lives in West Belfast and the Shankill.

Since its launch just nine months ago, the West Belfast Works project has helped 204 unemployed people into work. Funded by the Social Investment Fund, through the Delivering Social Change Framework, the project is targeted at people living in Shankill and West Belfast and offers opportunities for local people to gain real job opportunities, training and career development.

The West Belfast Works project runs for two years and has a £3.29m budget. It was developed in recognition of the need for local, positive interventions to target unemployment in west Belfast and Shankill communities.

Of the 204 unemployed people who have been supported into work, 153 are on job placements where they are getting training, mentoring support as well as experience, while 51 got jobs directly after receiving targeted training and support. A further 258 people are getting training support under the Flexible Training Fund, which supports unemployed people and underemployed people (people earning below the Living Wage) and it is open to employers who have real job opportunities available. 

West Belfast Works also has supported 12 self-employed people, who are starting their business and getting mentoring support through a business support programme developed by West Belfast Works. A further 15 job placements have been agreed for people with disabilities and these placements will begin before September.

(MH)