Kilkenny Newstart is supported by the Irish Government and the European Social Fund (ESF) aspart of the Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014 -2020.
The Kilkenny Migrants NEW START programme is targeted at supporting migrants into employment
The program offers the following support:
• Intensive English language and ICT skills.
• Improves the level of job readiness of each participants through the ‘Kick Start’
program which is a successful package of pre-employment training
• Supports the placement of all participants in work, further training/education,
self-employment
Newstart- the Kilkenny Migrant Employment Programme was established as a result of a funding application to the European Social Fund (ESF) under the programme for Employability, Inclusion, and learning (PEIL) 2014 – 2020). KLP led the application on behalf of a coalition of local agencies and community-based groups that support migrants in Kilkenny. The group which consists of Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, Kilkenny Integration Forum, Kilkenny County Council, Carlow & Kilkenny Educational Training Board and St. Canice’s Community Action Network. The application was successful in securing €357,350 for the programme aimed at improving the employment capacity of migrants. Newstart will run for four years starting in May 2017 and finishing in May 2021. The overall objective of the program is to outreach to up to 150 migrant individuals distant from the labour market and through a tailored program of intervention to progress these individuals into employment, self-employment, social enterprise or further education/ training. Any individual who lives or works in a country that is not their country of citizenship is considered a migrant.
This process will involve four pieces of work
1. Outreach to identify the most marginalised individuals and prepare an individual learning plan for each participant.
2. Increase the level of English language and IT competency to a level which will allow them to work in a general work environment.
3. To improve the level of job readiness of each participants through participation in the ‘Kick Start’ programme methodology- which is a successful package of pre-employment training developed by Kilkenny LEADER Partnership.
4. Successfully place 130 participants in work, further training/education, self-employment or a relevant support agency.
The geographical area covered by the Newstart project is Kilkenny City & County. The majority of the actions will take place in Kilkenny city as the census figure (2011) show the highest concentration of migrants in this area (3,328). There are also significant numbers in Thomastown (170), Urlingford (139) and Callan (221) will be serviced by the actions in Kilkenny city. The most significant number outside Kilkenny city is in Ferrybank (875). This may require some actions located in Ferrybank. As of the end of 2017 the project has engaged with 25 participants. Fifteen of these participants have completed an intensive English language and IT program provided by St Canices Community Action Network. Starting in 2018 a second group of participants will complete this program, while the original group will progress onto the Kickstart element of the program with the objective of progressing into employment /self-employment or further training.
NewStart came about as a result of a joint application from the following groups:
Lead Partner: Kilkenny LEADER Partnership, Kilkenny Integration Forum.
Kilkenny County Council, Kilkenny & Carlow Education and Training Board, St Canices
Community Action Network and Kilkenny Empowerment Initiative for African Women.
For further information contact: Tom McDonald
T: 056 7752111
M: 086 8544869
Email: tom.mcdonald@cklp.ie
