The Luton Digital Skills and Employment Project is a partnership project between Bangladesh Youth League (BYL) & Luton Irish Forum (LIF) which start in July 2020 and runs for 3½ years. The Project is part funded by European Social Fund.
The Project will take place in Luton, an area with high levels of unemployment, economic inactivity and low skills in particular digital skills and will primarily target two specific groups of local residents:
*Unemployed adults aged 50+
Unemployed (& Economically Inactive) Women, particularly from BME communities
The project provides a tailored programme of learning and support based (group and 121) on 4 building blocks:
(a) Basic skills including Pre-entry level ESOL (12 weeks x 2.5 hours)
(b) Basic Digital Skills (Core)
Will include a basic introduction to digital skills and digital devices – the core digital training will include turn on a device, use the available controls, make use of accessibility tools, interact with the home screen, understand that the internet allows access to information and content and how to connect to wi-fi, jargon busting, connect to a safe and secure Wi-Fi network, connect to the internet and open a browser to find and use websites, understand that passwords and personal information need to be kept safely, update and change password when prompted to do so, staying safe online with participants gaining a City & Guilds L3 (Certificate or Diploma) in ITQ Online Basics qualification plus Using your computer or device and online safety units.
(c) Enhanced Digital Skills
Where participants are assessed as already having, or progress speedily through the Basic Digital Skills course, they will progress onto enhanced Digital Skills which will be tailored to their individual needs and include, intro to Word, Excel, PowerPoint and email, sending and receiving emails in the work place plus the ‘cc’ option, working remotely using a virtual private network, use different document formats such as PDF to make it easier to share documents, use document sharing though web based applications such as Google Docs to work on a document in collaboration, use video-conferencing products such as Skype and Facetime to communicate with colleagues on conferences and calls. Accreditation will be through either C&G or AQA
(d) Employment Support
Each participant will receive employment support (group/121) to enable them to progress more effectively into employment (or job search). Activity will include weekly work clubs, workshops preparing for Apprenticeships, workshops introducing self-employment, 121 IAG sessions, pre-employment skills workshops and 121 sessions (CVs, job-search skills, Job applications, interview skills, mock interviews).
All participants will be able to progress through and complete all 4 of the project’s building blocks, although not all participants will start at the same point or complete all of the building blocks. Initial Assessment will enable us to start each participant at the right level and entry point for them based on their basic skill and IT levels and prior learning. The average time participants will spend on the project, depending on the activity they undertake, will be between 3 and 6 months.
Aims of the Luton Digital Skills & Employment
*Project:helping those who are unemployed, economically inactive and disadvantaged to tackle their barriers they have to work and enter sustainable employment;
*provide individuals from the 50+ age group and BME women, which face particular labour market disadvantage with additional support;
*encourage inactive people to participate in the labour market and to improve their employability particularly gaining basic and Digital skills which are needed by employers;
*address basic skills needs and digital skills of unemployed and economically inactive people so that they can compete effectively in the labour market;
*provide all participants with the opportunities for job search, support to reduce barriers to gaining employment and employability skills.
If you are interested in find out more contact us on 01582 519500, or email s.moheeuddin@cycd.org.uk, or come to one of our advice sessions on Monday to Friday 10.00am – 12.30pm and speak to an adviser.
