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Project Name: |
Building Employment through Education (BEE) |
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Zone: |
Northern |
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Category: |
Revenue |
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Social Investment Fund Outcome: |
Reducing Deprivation |
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Status: |
Delivery Complete |
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Funding awarded: |
£3,174,452 |
About the Project
The Building to Employment (BEE) project was an education based initiative which aimed to break the intergenerational transfer of disadvantage from parents with poor literacy, language and numeracy skills to their children. The project used a series of targeted interventions aimed at addressing specific issues identified for families as well as constraints in the provision and capacity of community based education services.
The project was carried out in a two-staged approach to re-engage disengaged adults in the education process and to build opportunities for subsequent employment through education in order to reduce deprivation, increase skills and enhance employability.
Stage 1 - Communities and Schools Together
Stage 1 of the programme worked to connect 20 schools (10 primary and 10 post-primary) and communities to address a number of issues such as educational underachievement, parental engagement, parenting support and employability through delivery of a series of child and parent orientated interventions. Child orientated interventions included after schools activities, breakfast club and home visiting services families. Parent orientated interventions included volunteer training, parents education programmes, parent support for fathers, home visiting, employability programmes, teen programmes on topics such as drugs and employment, culinary programmes and transition training to post primary programmes for families.
Stage 2 - COASTAL Call
Stage 2 of the programme established four vibrant learning networks across the Northern zone (in Larne, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey and Moyle) to increase learning opportunities through provision of training and encouragement to participants to further education, training or entry level employment. This stage involved the installation of ICT equipment/software in community venues, delivery of learning activities, supporting participants to progress into further education and supporting participants entering employment. The project aimed to enable individuals to have the opportunity to achieve their full potential, whilst at the same time improve their self-confidence and engagement in lifelong learning. This was done by addressing the following three themes: enhancing and developing skills, social inclusion and inter-generational learning. Within these hubs and the surrounding areas, free training sessions (both accredited and non-accredited) was provided.
This project maximised the power of education by directly linking it to employment, ensuring that the next generation are prepared for a reshaped world of work.
Progress to date
This project has completed delivery. The project delivered a wide range of activities across the two stages. The project had a positive effect on the well-being of all those who participated and contributed to improved familial relationships, improved relationships between schools, pupils and parents, increased parental involvement in education and increased school attendance and performance. The importance of capacity building and community linkeages were key to the impact of this project in providing ongoing support.
Impacts
Monitoring and evaluation of all Social Investment Fund projects is carried out using “Outcomes Based Accountability” (OBA). The infographic below details some of the key impacts of the Building to Employment project.
