Broadening Your Horizons For the young people of Duhallow employment opportunities are limited, especially for those that have left school early with little or no qualifications or work experience. Young people who are not in employment, education or training (NEET) are at high risk of becoming socially excluded and may lack the skills to enhance their economic situation. The Broadening Your Horizons Programme supports and empowers young people aged between 16 and 24 years who are NEET and living in rural areas to access training, employment and recreational opportunities. This is done through one to one strengths based mentoring and coaching, person centred planning and assessment of need, group development work, core skills-based training, preemployment skills training and preparation. Training for each individual is based on their needs, capacity and aspirations.
Timmy O’Sullivan receiving his certificate of achievement for his participation on the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection YESS Scheme. Timmy is pictured with Marie O’Flynn, Principal Officer Cork Division DEASP, Tom Twomey IRD Duhallow and Rose Slattery Employer Engagement Officer DEASP.
In 2019, with the assistance of the Youth Employment Initiative fund, IRD Duhallow engaged with 11 young people applying a strengths based approach to overcome the barriers which affect participation i.e. health, social, educational, employability. Participants benefitted from bespoke training including: Manual Handling, First Aid Responder Training, Personal Development, LAMH, Career Guidance, Apprenticeship information, CV and CV cover letter building, interview techniques, styling for an interview, job search strategies and continuous one to one mentoring. Due to COVID-19, some courses were adapted and put online for the participants to access at home and they continued to receive one to one mentoring over the phone. Deciding on a future career or knowing what direction to take, can be a difficult decision Christine Murphy participating in a Skills for some. Many of the young Summary Workshop. people who join the programme are unsure and therefore are not ready to make a decision relating to this. By offering alternative learning opportunities and taster subject modules, as well as wrap around supports, the programme maximises the likelihood of achievement for the young people to either undertake further education, apprenticeships or paid employment. Using a step-bystep approach, Broadening Your Horizons, allows the participants to grow their commitment over time and the young people to progress at a pace suitable to themselves, therefore, reducing the risk of repeated drop out which can have adverse effects on their motivation and progression.
Broadening Your Horizon participants are encouraged and supported to carry out work experience- it gives young people an insight into the world of work, enables them to learn by doing and instils a strong work ethic. IRD Duhallow’s existing linkages on the ground with local employers are utilised to facilitate supported work sampling, work experience placements, work shadowing, volunteer placements and place and train schemes. Achieving a full driving license is a considerable obstacle that young people face in obtaining Scannell receiving employment in this rural region. Many factors are aHelena delivery of ingredients for the CFI Remote attributed to this: cost of lessons and insurance, Cookery Programme. limited access to a vehicle and in some instances, low literacy levels affect their ability to complete the theory component. IRD Duhallow has integrated ‘Drive2Success’, a core skills training workshops to support these young people who do not have access to a car or the financial supports to complete driving lessons. They are provided with a 3 month subscription to practice for the theory test online and classroom based learning is facilitated, if needed, in preparation of the theory test offering one-to-one support with the questions. After successfully obtaining their Learners Permit, participants are supported to complete 3 Ailbe Coffey facilitating a Youth & Resilience driving lessons. Mentoring Workshop with BYH participants. The benefits from this programme are numerous including social benefits concerning individual’s success in effectively and constructively participating in social, civic and working life. The programme empowers the young people to grow in confidence in their own employability and engage more effectively with the labour market whilst also positively attributing to their overall well-being. Community Food Initiatives The Community Food Initiatives aims to positively influence the eating habits of families with children by focusing on the skills and knowledge around food and healthy eating, healthier shopping and enhanced cooking skills. This is done through a community event at the beginning and end of each year and 2 to 3 small projects in between. Due to COVID-19, we adapted the first small project from a 4-week Bríghid-Íde Walsh preparing a box of cookery course into a 6-week ingredients to be delivered for the CFI Remote Cookery Programme. Remote Cookery Programme. Ten families participated in the initiative and received a weekly box from IRD Duhallow with easy to follow recipes from safefoods 101 Square Meals and the ingredients to match. The second small project was also adapted into a webinar that Nutritionist Laura O’Reilly delivered on the topic How Food Affects Children’s Mood.
Eoin O Connell displaying his delicious apple crumble he made as part of the CFI Remote Cookery Programme.
Broadening Your Horizons Participant, Rachel O’Callaghan, using her subscription to the online Driver Theory Test portal to take a practice test.
page page 3335
