Programme aims to help people back to employment

Delivered by LEDCOM on behalf of Larne Borough Council and Enterprise Northern Ireland, Exploring Enterprise 2 is geared towards supporting individuals back into employment and helping them develop possible business ideas.

The programme is provided free to eligible participants and enables them to achieve an accredited qualification in order to improve their CVs and prospects for employment/self employment.

In all, 87 people from Carnlough, Glenarm, Craigyhill, Millbrook and Seacourt have completed Exploring Enterprise programmes. All the successful participants stated that they would recommend the Exploring Enterprise Programme to others. They highlighted the individual support and encouragement received from LEDCOM staff which had improved their confidence and determination to pursue new opportunities.

At the launch of Exploring Enterprise 2, the Mayor, Cllr Bobby McKee highlighted the council’s commitment to economic and community regeneration through initiatives such as Exploring Enterprise. “I’m delighted that with council support this excellent programme is being made available to people across the borough at venues such as the Glenlough Community Centre, LEDCOM, Bank Road and Willowbank Business Park,” he added.

Patricia Brennan, LEDCOM’s Exploring Enterprise manager, explained that the programme “aims to help people into sustainable employment or self employment through mentoring, training and by gaining a recognised qualification”

She added: “Participants can include the long-term unemployed, lone parents, stay-at-home mums, people with disabilities or with low or no qualifications, young people not in education, older workers and the recently retired. There are no qualifications required to gain entry to the programme, which is delivered at a pace specifically tailored to suit individual needs.”

This project is part-financed by Larne Borough Council, the European Social Fund, the Department for Employment and Learning, Enterprise Northern Ireland & the Local Enterprise Agencies under the Northern Ireland ESF Programme 2007 -13

Places for the Exploring Enterprise 2 programme – which will be running from early September – are limited. Anyone interested should contact Patricia Brennan at LEDCOM on 2827 0742 or [email protected].