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Minister supports East Belfast jobs initiative

20 February 2008

Minister for Employment and Learning, Sir Reg Empey, today attended a LEMIS (Local Employment Intermediary Service) promotion for local community representatives.

LEMIS is a Department for Employment and Learning initiative and is delivered in East Belfast by the East Belfast Mission’s Stepping Stone Project and supported by the East Belfast Partnership board.  Today’s event was arranged to highlight the success of the programme in the East Belfast area in helping people to find jobs.

The LEMIS service provides tailored assistance to help those people furthest away from the labour market to overcome the personal barriers that are preventing them from finding employment and keeping a job. It is designed to help and support those who, for whatever reason, are not presently using the statuary job-finding services. LEMIS complements the existing Jobs & Benefits facilities.

Speaking after the event, Sir Reg said: “My Department is committed to helping people prepare for, and enter into, the labour market.  We specifically target those individuals in areas of most need.  It is important that we work together with community-based organisations on a range of initiatives which are designed to have a positive affect in the local community.  

“Clearly, organisations like Stepping Stone are making a real difference.  They complement the work of the statutory agencies in addressing the employability needs of those who, for whatever reason, have been outside the labour market for some time and are now keen to find a job. It is vitally important that local partners, including employers, come forward to work with the LEMIS providers to help open up opportunities in the communities.”

Since April 2007 the Stepping Stone Project has engaged with 117 people and 51 people have gone on to find employment.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

  1. LEMIS provides tailored assistance to help voluntary clients overcome the personal barriers that are preventing them from finding and keeping a job.  The service, which is independent of the statutory employment services and is run by and in the community, is designed to complement the services available through the Jobs and Benefits offices in the areas being targeted i.e Belfast, Londonderry and Strabane. These are areas of high unemployment/low employment and have been identified using the latest version of the Noble Indices of Multiple Deprivation.
  2. Media queries to the Department for Employment and Learning Press Office on 028 9025 7872.
  3. Out of office hours please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.