“All the activities described on this website are supported by European Social Fund, funded via Lancashire Learning and Skills Council or Government Office North West, or are funded by the North West Development Agency”
© Lancashire Colleges Consortium
Adapt Projects
Information about Consortium
Objective 3 1999-2000 Projects
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Opportunities for Women in Rural Areas
General
The Lancashire Colleges Consortium is and was involved in delivering a number of European Social Fund supported projects. Each of the projects has a number of partners and is delivered in different areas of the North West sub-region. Given above is a list of the projects and, for each by link, a description of the project together with its targets.
Further information about which partners are delivering the projects and the areas in which they are working can be obtained either by contacting Jon Piggott by telephone (01695 52232) or by e-mail from Jon Piggott on jon@skelmersdale.ac.uk
The majority of these projects began in January 1999 and finished at the end of June 2000.
ESF Objective 3 Projects
The project is targeted at women who wish to gain higher level qualifications and use these to progress to more senior/management level occupations.
The client group is made up of two broad cohorts:
- women returning to the labour market following a period of child/dependent care,
- women who are about to enter the labour market.
The three occupational areas on which the project focuses are:
- management/higher level admin occupations,
- technician posts in manufacturing/engineering,
- IT/ICT occupations.
Four complimentary strands of activity:
- the delivery of training leading to VQ awards, taking especial steps to offer the flexible modes of delivery which are particularly required by the returned cohort
- the development of new learning and guidance packages, again in the case of the former especially those to support flexible delivery
- the development of the skills of tutors, both in equal opportunities policy and practice, and to develop their skills in using ICT/multi-media as an equality tool
- work with employers to support recruitment and integration, the use of family friendly working systems. This will include support in workplace training and mentoring, and via a recruitment and training strand.
Training to NVQ Level 2 and 3 or equivalent.
Opportunities for Women in Rural Areas
This project targets women living in rural areas who want to enter employment/set-up businesses in "non-traditional" areas especially:
- business to business/professional services,
- IT services/consultancy.
It supports a series of integrated steps towards this goal. These include initial guidance/skills benchmarking, delivery (via workshops and distance learning, including ICT enhanced distance learning) of training in "technical" skills, and business skills training.
The project addresses both needs and opportunities and is targeted at women living in rural areas, who:
- are currently unemployed/out of the labour market,
- wish to explore employment (or more frequently self-employment/business start-up) in IT services/consultancy or professional, business to business services,
- and who wish to continue living in the rural areas.
Training to NVQ Level 3 and 4 or equivalent.
The project is aimed at developing the IT/ICT skills base and to ensure that women are encouraged and supported in taking up the opportunities arising as a result of growth in this occupation area.
The project also provides support to individual beneficiaries:
- through providing support to enable women to access employment in an area of work in which they are under-represented,
- through combining guidance, training and support into employment in an integrated package,
- through tackling individual needs/barriers with action plans developed with each trainee,
- through combining work with trainees with work to support employers in developing and delivering equality strategies,
- through providing trainer training,
- specifically to support women who wish to start their own business, including via telework.
Training to NVQ Level 2, 3 and 4 or equivalent.
The project targets unemployed young people, the majority of whom are aged 16-18 who have, followed a guidance process, identified that they wish to gain jobs at "technician" level.
The project aims to overcome the barriers standing in the way of their progress such as:
- lack of an appropriate VQ to Level 2/3,
- lack of key skills (which are especially important at this level, particularly in high level IT, problem solving and team working/leadership skills),
- lack of work experience.
The project is designed to provide a comprehensive "route to employment" for unemployed young people, combining guidance and training and support into employment for clients based on an individual action plan.
Training to NVQ Level 2 and 3 or equivalent.
This project adds value to the "Full Time Education Training" component of the " New Deal " initiative which is targeted at young people in the 18-24 age group and who have been unemployed and claiming Job Seekers Allowance for 6 months or more.
The project is designed to enable both the process and range of products available to the client group to be enhanced. Additional features that can be added to the young persons programme include:
- enhanced key skills training, making full use of multi-media, to deliver individual customised programmes
- strengthening the vocational guidance and motivational training elements, together with specialist support geared to the particular needs of the client groups eg. ESOL training
- strengthening the mentoring content of the programme to ensure full continuity and provide a consistent and constant point of reference for clients to allow for quick intervention to prevent drop out.
- a substantial enhancement of the vocational training within the programme with the inclusion of "fast track" programmes to enable trainees, to achieve NVQ level 2 equivalent qualifications and where possible to progress to level 3. In view of the clear labour market evidence of a growing demand among employers for skills at these levels, this will significantly enhance the employment prospects of trainers participating in the project.
Training to NVQ Level 2 and 3 or equivalent.
This project targets long term unemployed people, including returners to the labour market. The training programme prepares them for employment in telesales/Call Centre operation, and the programme is designed to meet their particular needs and access jobs in this area. The training leads to recognised qualifications.
The project is designed to meet beneficiary needs, and the needs of the sector and therefore offers:
- short courses in simulated CALL Centre environments in colleges,
- support for in company training for new recruits from unemployment.
The project is aimed at people aged 25+
Training to NVQ Level 2 or equivalent.
This project will be targeted at long term unemployed adult aged 25+ with low levels of basic skills.
The aim of this project is to provide an integrated pathway into work for a targeted group of trainees, and to enable them to compete effectively in the labour market.
Barriers faced by the target group include:
- many have been outside formal education/training for some time, and lack confidence and "study skills",
- the trainees lack knowledge of the current "VQ" structure, and need guidance on the relationship of these to the labour market,
- trainees often have relatively low level of key skills and possible none in IT.
The programme for each individual includes elements of guidance/labour market awareness, IT basic skills training plus the opportunity to undertake pre vocational training/tasters. Moving forward to the next stage in a pathway to employment is given the highest priority with managed access to employment, employment with training or higher level training.
Use is made of multi-media to deliver individually designed provision of basic and IT training and investment in ICT learning networks linking outreach/community centres adds to the quality and flexibility of local training.
Most trainees follow a part time programme where the duration of training will depend on the needs of the individual.
Training to NVQ Level 1 or equivalent.
This project is targeted at young people with a range of disabilities, including special learning needs, who are unemployed and who require particular help in accessing jobs.
Training programmes are individually customised around the core design principles of:
- developing and regularly reviewing an individual action plan,
- developing and accrediting vocational competencies, plus key skills and basic skills where appropriate,
- positively managing the next step to employment.
The mode of learning varies, and can include college provision, outreach provision, and support for workplace training when people move from unemployment to employment
The project is aimed at both men and women of 18 - 24 years of age who need this type of training to move towards employment.
Training to NVQ Level 1, 2 or 3 level or equivalent.
This project is targeted at vulnerable adults aged 25+. The project partners work with their Employment Service New Deal delivery organisations and addresses some of the major barriers faced by those who are unemployed in entering education in order to develop their skills.
Often members of the target group have a range of problems to face before they can take full advantage of education and training:
- many have been outside formal education/training for some time, and lack confidence and "study skills",
- they lack knowledge of the current "VQ" structure, and need guidance on the relationship of these qualifications to the labour market,
- they often have relatively low level of key skills and possible no skills at all in IT.
Trainees follow a part time programme and the duration of training depends on the needs of the individual.
In accordance with individual trainees needs, the project includes elements of guidance/labour market awareness, IT basic skills training, plus the opportunity to undertake pre vocational training/tasters. Moving forward to the next stage in a pathway to employment is given the highest priority with managed access to employment, employment with training to a higher level being the target outcomes.
Training to NVQ Level 1, 2 and 3 or equivalent.