Youth Training (Hansard, 2 December 1993)

§ Mr. Atkins

Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its chief executive, Mr. Julian Crozier.

I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

Letter from J. S. Crozier to Dr. J. Hendron, dated 1 December 1993: Parliamentary Questions Nos. 1377 to 1382: 3 December 1993

The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to reply to your questions about:— (a) what is the policy of the Training and Employment Agency regarding the future of Community Training Organisations and the provision of Youth Training in Northern Ireland; (b) how many young people are currently employed in Community Workshops; and if he will make a statement on the future of workshops; (c) what plans he has to change the policy of blockfunding for Community Training Organisations; (d) what is the strategy for the provision of youth training in West Belfast; (e) what is the strategy for the provision of youth training in North, South, East Belfast and Lagan Valley; and 660W (f) what plans he has to assist young people leaving school without any recognised academic qualifications.

The responses to your questions are:—

(a) The Agency would wish to maintain a community sector element within the Youth Training Programme (YTP) as part of the range of provision which is available to young people. As you are aware some workshops are facing financial difficulties caused mainly by fewer young people in the population more of whom are staying on at school. The introduction of a single school leaving date has exacerbated the difficulties. Given this background some community-based training organisations are finding it difficult to remain viable given the diminishing number of trainees and some rationalisation is inevitable; preferably through mergers although some closures may be difficult to avoid. The Agency has recently written to Workshop Chairmen proposing a package of assistance. Where mergers take place full redundancy costs will be paid by the Agency which will also meet the cost of consultancy help. Fifty per cent. of redundancy costs will be paid to workshops which choose to close. As to youth training in NI the Agency remains committed to providing a Youth Training place for all 16 and 17 year olds who desire it. Arrangements will be made for all those young people affected by a rationalisation to be offered a training place with an alternative provider. (b) Young people in Community Workshops are not employed by them but are in the Youth Training Programme. At the end of October 1993 there were 3,046 young people in training in Community Workshops. The future of workshops is dealt with in the preceding paragraphs. (c) There are currently no plans to change the policy of blockfunding for community workshops. The present levels of blockfunding within YTP compare more than favourably with funding elsewhere in the United Kingdom and with that available within the education system in Northern Ireland. However the Agency is currently piloting a single, integrated scheme called Jobskills which may replace both YTP and the Job Training Programme (JTP) and which would have a different system of funding. (d & e) The Agency's objective is to maintain a network of training organisations across all areas of the Province, including Belfast and Lagan Valley which will enable the Agency to continue to meet the Government guarantee of a training place for all 16 and 17 year olds who want one. (f) Every school leaver aged 16 or 17 is guaranteed a training place within the Youth Training Programme (YTP). YTP offers a structured programme of training leading to a recognised vocational qualification to help participants compete for suitable jobs. I hope that you find this information helpful.