The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015 – 2017 is funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes

a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative.

CLODAGH MCDONNELL

SOCIAL INCLUSION AND COMMUNITIES UNIT

SICAP

CONTRACT WITH POBAL

CONTROL OF DOGS

MANAGEMENT OF BURIAL GROUNDS

WHAT IS SICAP?

The largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State.

A national Government programme- implemented locally.

Its aim is to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations, public sector agencies and other stakeholders.

The SICAP target groups are children and families from disadvantaged areas, lone parents, new communities (including Refugees/Asylum Seekers), people living in disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, Roma, the unemployed (including those not on the Live Register), Travellers and young unemployed people from disadvantaged areas (including young people aged 15-24 who are not in employment, education or training) and low income workers.

A voluntary programme

HOW DOES IT OPERATE?

It is managed by Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) in each Local Authority area throughout the country. LCDCs were established under the Local Government Reform agenda (Local Government Act, 2014).

46 Community and Voluntary entities, for example Local Development Companies, in each Local Authority area, deliver the programme at a local level. The companies are also known as Programme Implementers.

The programme is delivered based on the needs identified in each area by the LCDCs –with their planning and targeting role- and the Programme Implementers.

Each Programme Implementer has a contract with the LCDC to deliver a set number of outputs under each of the Programme’s three goals.

Total contractual funding of €37.5 million this year. Top line budget of some €42 million. Must add value to mainstream programmes (e.g. mainstream public employment services,

DSP services in the main)

SICAP GOALSThe Programme has three goals which focus on: Community Development, Education and Training, and

Employment. These goals are:1. To support and resource disadvantaged communities and marginalised target groups to engage with

relevant local and national stakeholders in identifying and addressing social exclusion and equality issues;

2 To support individuals and marginalised target groups experiencing educational disadvantage so they can participate fully, engage with and progress through life-long learning opportunities through the use of community development approaches;

3. To engage with marginalised target groups/individuals and residents of disadvantaged communities who are unemployed but who do not fall within mainstream employment service provision, or who are referred to SICAP, to move them closer to the labour market and improve work readiness, and support them in accessing employment and self-employment and creating social enterprise opportunities.

MAIN FINDINGS FROM MID-TERM REVIEW OF THE PREDECESSOR PROGRAMME

The need to focus on fewer outcomes in line with local needs and national priorities, in particular in line with relevant Local Government Reform policy priorities, ‘Putting People First’ (e.g. the establishment of Local and Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in each Local Authority area);

The Programme must continue to engage with the most difficult to reach (including Travellers and Migrants) in the most disadvantaged areas;

There needs to be a focus on youth and interventions to address youth unemployment, for the harder to reach youth;

There is a need to balance the social and economic dimensions of disadvantage. The Programme needs to effectively contribute to citizen engagement in line with national

policy; and The Programme should add value to public services by ensuring it fills important local gaps in

provision and by preparing disadvantaged people to take up mainstream services.

OTHER FACTORS WHICH INFORMED SICAP POLICYOECD evidence base - two key reports:

Local Job Creation, Ireland (2013)

An international, cross-government study of over 10 countries, it examined the contribution of local labour market policy to boost quality employment and productivity in Ireland.

Included 2 case study regions – Dublin and South East regions. It comprised a unique scoreboard made up of over 100 indicators, giving a score in 4 areas: Aligning policies and programmes Adding value through skills Targeting policy Inclusion

Local Youth Employment Strategies, Ireland (2014) Part of an international review to identify the key instruments of successful local strategies to support youth

employment Focused on heterogeneity amongst youth – NEETs, poorly integrated new entrants, and good performers

STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION PROCESS

Involving:

Meetings with Stakeholders and Lead Government Departments

An On-Line Survey

IN 2016 ….. 47,511 people assisted 49% were long-term unemployed and 42% from a jobless household 3,076 local community groups helped 30,206 people received an employment and job training support 5,752 people set up their own business  - and these new businesses created 720 full-time

jobs 5,373 young people not working or studying were helped Almost 55,890 children received educational or developmental support

SICAP CLIENT CENTRED APPROACH TO JOB MATCHING The Personal Action Plan (PAP) used is designed to assist SICAP clients to identify their pathway

back to education, to employment or to self-employment.

This PAP focuses on facilitating individuals to complete a SWOT analysis and uses the GROW (Goal, Reality, Options/Obstacles and Way Forward) model of coaching to help them to fully understand the realistic steps that they need to take to make this goal a reality.

This approach is used where individuals set goals that may not realistically be achievable immediately. They may need a few interventions, either from the SICAP implementer or elsewhere before they are fully ready to move forward.  The PAP is very beneficial for use with Job Seekers who have been unemployed for a period of time.

Steps to achieve the goals and plans to move forward are agreed with the client and follow up at each stage of implementation are built into the plan.

CASE STUDIES This case study describes a tailor made course designed to prepare participants for locally identified

employment opportunities and engagement with employers to ensure that participant skills met employer requirements. Through consultation and networking with the Department of Social Protection (DSP) employer engagement services, Westmeath Community Development Ltd. (WCD) learnt that TK Maxx and Esquires Coffee House intended to open new premises in 2015, in Mullingar, Co Westmeath.

A total of 20 individuals took part in the course (5 male and 15 female). 14 participants were long term unemployed, two were short term unemployed and four were economically inactive (two were under 1.

1 participant had primary level of education, 5 had lower secondary, 12 had upper secondary and 2 had third level attainments

The SICAP Programme Implementer (WCD) encouraged all the younger clients under actions 7 (early school leavers) and 5 (education action) to consider participating in this course by ring-fencing 60% of the places for them.

WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS

TK Maxx TK Maxx did not carry out their recruitment at a local level but WCD clients were encouraged to apply

through the main TK Maxx Human Resource (HR) office.

A month before the opening of the store, TK Maxx was contacted again and this time they asked that WCD forward clients’ CVs. TK Maxx interviewed all candidates WCD recommended.

WCD spent time with the managers of TK Maxx to learn about the positions and the skills required. They spent a week intensively preparing clients for their interviews, studying the company background, mission etc;.

WCD spent time supporting clients on a one-to-one and group basis, to ‘ put the best foot forward’ to demonstrate the skills and knowledge they gained on the course through preparation of competency based interview responses.

In addition to delivering the six week course- a one week TK Maxx interview support course was delivered.

OUTCOME The clients received background information on TK Maxx, and training on the breakdown of roles

and responsibilities.

They were assisted with creating up to date CVs and psychometric testing and training.

In October, the manager of TK Maxx contacted WCD to recruit for part-time Christmas staff. WCD delivered a one week TK Maxx interview course in October for individuals who wished to apply for the Christmas jobs and an additional three clients secured work.

Final outcome: 13 secured jobs with TK Maxx 1 job secured with Esquires 4 secured employment elsewhere; 1 retail, 1 construction, 1 as an Airport Security Officer. 1 participant is on a JobBridge Internship 1 job seeking but no longer engaging with SICAP or other WCD services

Course Participants taking part in the fashion retail styling module