A NEW service aimed at engaging the north’s most economically inactive people has been launched by Enterprise NI and the Prince’s Trust.
The Northern Ireland Explore Enterprise Support Service (NIEESS) will run until March 2025 and will offers those considered economically inactive the ability to develop their entrepreneurial and employability skills.
The project - which has received £1.8 million form the government's the UK Shared Prosperity Fund - will target around 1200 individuals aged 16 and above.
Delivered by local enterprise agencies and the Prince’s Trust, the service will improve enterprise, inter-personal, and employability skills of those taking part, helping them improve their marketability as a candidate and ultimately become self-employed or find a job.
A recent labour market report from Nisra found that people who are economically non-responsive made up around 28.3 per cent of the 16-64 age group, effectively meaning that over a quarter of the eligible working population weren’t working at all or looking for work.
Michael McQuillan, chief executive of Enterprise NI, said: “This new service puts the citizen at the centre of a range of supports, connecting them with the right support at the right time.
“We feel our partnership with Prince’s Trust NI will ensure citizens across Northern Ireland experiencing the barriers of economic inactivity will have the opportunity to make personal and positive strides in their lives.”
By encouraging out-of-work individuals to develop themselves both personally and professionally, the aim of the service is to boost the economy by helping participants become economically active.
NIEESS (details at www.enterpriseni.com) is aimed at individuals who have been out of employment for a minimum of four weeks and those who are currently unable to start a new position due to everything from a lack of transferable skills to an inability to engage with the job market due to personal circumstances.
Mark Dougan, regional director of the Prince’s Trust NI said: “Our ambition is to give more disadvantaged young people the opportunity to create a better future through employment, education and enterprise.
“We have a long history of supporting young people to explore their business idea, with many progressing into self-employment with the support of our staff and expert business volunteers.
“The Prince’s Trust is excited to be working in partnership with Enterprise NI to launch NIEESS, which will give local entrepreneurs the opportunity to explore, test and refine their business idea and journey towards self-employment.”
The service delivery partners will identify mentors and trainers who will be on-hand for the service users to offer a participant centric approach meaning everyone who signs up will be given a tailored package of support which will provide holistic support targeted to their individual needs and areas where people require the most assistance.
It is estimated that the scheme will provide assistance to over 1,200 service users helping them to transition towards employment or entrepreneurship.