UK Shared Prosperity Fund Aiming To Help People Back Into Work

Organisations across Northern Ireland are going to receive financial support through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which is aiming to help economically inactive people into employment. Eighteen different projects in the country are going to receive a share of the £57 million+ on offer from this fund.

Growing The Economy By Improving Economic Activity

Here are more details on this fund as copied direct from the Gov.UK website. It says that:

‘Around 100 organisations across Northern Ireland will benefit from funding from April to help people into work, through 18 successful projects.

‘UK Government increases planned investment from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund by 15 million to grow the economy in Northern Ireland by improving economic activity.

‘People with disabilities, women and young people are among groups receiving significant support to improve skills and find sustainable employment.

‘Thousands of people across Northern Ireland will be supported into work as the UK Government confirms funding for transformational projects to tackle economic inactivity, boost job opportunities and grow the local economy.

‘Eighteen projects across Northern Ireland will now receive more than £57 million through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) to help support people into work, compared to the £42 million competition value announced in December. Delivered in partnership with approximately 80 joint bidders or community partners, this means around 100 organisations in total will receive support.

‘The successful bids will support over 25,000 economically inactive people in Northern Ireland – offering them support to find high quality jobs. Charities, voluntary and community organisations, businesses and colleges will all play a vital role in supporting people into employment as the UK Government takes back control of funding previously run by the European Union.

‘Decisions taken by UK Ministers mean that additional funding has been allocated from the Northern Ireland UKSPF funding pot to enable projects to reach more people while also continuing their vital work and allowing for a greater range of delivery across all parts of Northern Ireland. The UK Government has confirmed that all organisations can start planning to use the funding from April when current money from the European Social Fund ends.’

Organisations Are Coming Together In New Partnerships

Levelling Up Minister Dehenna Davison is quoted in the same article, saying:

“We are making the most of opportunities outside the European Union to deliver for people in Northern Ireland.

“It is fantastic that organisations have come together in new partnerships to deliver creative solutions to economic inactivity through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. In recognition of the huge impact charities, businesses and colleges are having on the ground, I’m delighted to announce that we are boosting the original funding pot for this competition by an additional £15 million to help them support even more people into fulfilling jobs.

“This is an important milestone in the investment we are making to level up Northern Ireland and the whole of the UK.”

Since the Covid pandemic there have been a large number of people who have not gone back to work for one reason or another, so this initiative could be useful in tempting some of these to become economically active once more, which in turn will help our economy grow. Let us hope this project is a successful one.