1. THE WORK WINNER Donal Kelly Youth Work Ireland Tipperary

2. Journey to employment
Personal circumstances – often referred to as barriers, transport, internet access substance misuse and family circumstances
Emotional capabilities – a young person ability to manage their emotions. Having grit and resilience, self-esteem desire to succeed
Attitudes to learning and work- aspiration to work their feeling towards work
Employability skills - skills to thrive in work place, such as communication teamwork and leadership skills
Qualifications, education and training- knowledge through training
Experiences and involvement -activities young people participate in outside school, networking, work experience, volunteering
Career management career direction, job searching, how to present to employers, interest in enterprise, skills to find a job
Employment

3. NEETs – A Youth Work Response
Cohort of Young People
Levels of Response
1. Young people who are job-secure yet who engage to enhance
their career-mobility and progression   
2. Young people who are job-ready
3. Young people who are interested in developing entrepreneurial
initiatives and other enterprises in the economy/social economy
4. Young people who are participating/ volunteering in programmes
specifically to gain employment and employment related skills and
experiences
5. Young people who through their engagement in youth work
develop transversal skills and experiences which enhance
employability and educational attainment
6. Young people who require support and guidance in relation to
their retention in, and progression to, employment, education and
training
7. Young people who are not in employment, education and
training (NEET)
8. Young people who are identified as acutely marginalised and in
greatest need of support
Intervention
Prevention
Promotion

4. Challenges that our young people face:
They are furthest from the labour market
They are not work ready
National programmes aren’t a fit
Employer driven
Competitive
Built before meeting the participants
Local factors
Low skills base
No work experience
Low levels of retention and progression once working
Rural issues
Limited employment
Limited choices
No transport
Small town mentality

5. Dept Social Protection
Work winner Model
Young Person
ETB
TRYS
Local Agencies
Employer Local Private Business
Dept Social Protection

6. Factors that make the programme successful
Allowing the young person to design and dictate the training and be involved in the decision making around their own training
The young person chooses the employer not the other way around
Support strategies such as: Outreach, house calls, getting people up, breaking out of bad habits - Labour intensive but integral to success of programme.
The programme is based in an integrated youth service which provides additional supports for the participants and draws on the strengths of the full team, both in terms of employment supports through Youth Information and Mobility Service, and through specialised projects which support young people with social and emotional challenges.
The Work Winner Programme has created an original and flexible programme in the knowledge that each young person will be on a different learning curve, with different needs, interests and potential skills.

7. This really is an innovative approach. I’m afraid we can’t do it
This really is an innovative approach. I’m afraid we can’t do it. It’s never been done before.

8. But Einstein said We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them!

9. Key features of our programmes
Targeted at those furthest from the labour market
Combine long term work placement and training
Young person driven
Voluntary Participation
The youthwork approach
Mentoring – individualised supports

10. Corresponding skills Communication Team-working Self-confidence
Skills developed in youth organisations according to our survey of young people.
Top 6 skills and competences most often mentioned as demanded by employers
Survey of 1000 individuals and 100 employers in Ireland ranking of the skills most needed.
Communication
Team-working
Self-confidence
Adaptability and flexibility
Intercultural skills
Communication
Decision-making
Team-working
Self-confidence
Organisation and planning
Numeracy
Leadership (57%)
People management and teamwork (51%)
Innovation and entrepreneurship (50%)
Communication (39%)
Adaptability and flexibility (39%)
Change management (35%)
Project management (19%)
Influencing (19%)
Decision making (17%)
Time management (14%)
Engagement with youth work leads to developing skills required by the labour market
Reflects a very strong match between both aspects. This pattern is only less neat for numeracy, which is developed to a lower extent than the above-mentioned skills in youth organizations.
Accenture (2013)
Souto-Otero et al. (2013) Study on the Impact of Non Formal Education in Youth Organisations on Young People’s Employability

11. Reaching the Hard to Reach: - Give them work experience
Lack of work experience is a major difficulty when hiring (OECD 2014)
No experience of the working world
Programme Example: Work Winner
Locally based work placement (up to 70% of the programme)
Diversity of Jobs:
Mobile Phone Shop
Painter /Decorator
Sports Complex marketing
Sports Complex Training
Tattoo Parlour
Security
Golf Course Maintenance
Butcher
Car Valeting
Town Council
Farming
Salting Skins
Nursing Homes
Chief
Gardening
Barber
Hairdressing
Paving /Kerbing
Carpenter
Engineering