Impact Training

Project Name:	Impact Training
Zone:	Belfast West
Category:	Capital
Social Investment Fund Outcome:	Increasing Community Services
Status:	Operational - Construction Complete
Funding awarded:	£1,250,094

About the Project

SIF investment allowed the extension and refurbishment of the existing premises at Lanark Way, with the purpose of increasing the provision of employability skills and training and support to the local community. Impact Training invested over £160,000 to the project. The works provided eight additional classrooms containing state of the art equipment and improved the two existing skills workshops creating a more open and spacious area for practical training. This new, spacious and modern facility offers a full range of training opportunities and has allowed Impact Training to zone the building for evening use, therefore, maximising its availability and scope. There are a number of evening groups using the space including cross community groups who are providing good relations programmes and fitness and wellbeing classes. These are attracting users from the local community in addition to the young people engaged in training.

The works have also enabled Impact Training to greatly enhance its provision of employability skills and support to the targeted areas of the Greater Shankill and in doing so play a key part in tackling long term and short term unemployment. The project recognised the need to up-skill those who have redundant skills or who have faced multiple barriers to employment due to lack of skills. The additional classrooms and refurbished rooms are being utilised extensively and are making a difference to the level and quality of services being provided.

Progress to date

This project has completed construction and is operational. This project provided a state of the art training environment which offers a wide range and mix of training opportunities to the local and wider communities. This will in turn help to improve the education and skills of young people and adults within the locale leading to higher levels of employment and regeneration of the area which are key objectives of the Social Investment Fund.

Impacts

Monitoring and evaluation of all Social Investment Fund projects is carried out using “Outcomes Based Accountability” (OBA). Where SIF has funded capital works, the project provides quarterly “post-capital” data for a period of 3 years which details the positive impacts enabled by the capital works undertaken. The Impact Training project has completed its 3 years of post-capital monitoring. Below are the final capital and post capital infographics which highlight the key impacts of the project.