Integrating Low Income or Hard-to-Employ Workers and the targeting of disadvantaged groups means that measures are targeted at groups of individuals such as ethnic minority groups, the urban poor, women, redundant workers, the long-term unemployed and youths. Possible projects include: Language training
This is a key issue where there are groups of foreign workers and minority communities. Outreach programs are often successful. | | |
Skills retraining and job placement programs
Skills retraining should be done using a demand-led approach i.e. businesses need to be involved in articulating the skills needs. There is little point in retraining individuals in skill areas for which there is no local demand. Job placement programs assist individuals in acquiring the skills they need to access jobs and assist in identifying opportunities. Raising educational achievement
This is usually an issue for an entire city, but specific communities may be in need of extra support. Enterprise training
Many disadvantaged groups have both high unemployment and a large proportion of workers in the informal sector. Basic training in terms of business management, finance and marketing can have a significant impact on these communities. Helping women to access employment and self-employment programs
Projects could include skills development, confidence building programs, and provision of crèches and after-school clubs. Micro-enterprise lending programs
This area of activity is also well suited to assisting disadvantaged groups to access self employment. Work experience and teacher/pupil placement schemes
These schemes involve teachers and students working for short periods of time in businesses to gain work experience and a work ethic skills. Teachers do this, which gives them a better understanding of workplace requirements. Developing mentor programs
The idea is that more experienced business people mentor new starters and give them support, encouragement and ideas. Mentor programs can be very informal, and are a way of helping individuals to start their own business. Health awareness programs
Often the most disadvantaged suffer from the worst health. Besides the direct effects on individuals, poor health becomes a serious limiting factor when trying to access work. Health awareness programs can be closely targeted at, for example, specific schools, communities and so on. They may also be delivered through community resource centers. HIV/AIDS programs will be a priority for many LED programs in areas affected by the epidemic. Prevention and care reduce the negative burden imposed on families – particularly the poor. Development of community resource centers
The purpose of these centers is to gather together information, support and services to meet the needs of the local community. These centers do not need to be sophisticated. Services may include everything from health care, education services, and business advice to paying taxes, play areas for children and so on. |
RSS