Co. Wexford has a high level of educational disadvantage, with very low levels of people with third level qualifications and a higher than average population of people with primary education only. This is a significant factor in the high rate of unemployment in the county.
WLD works across a number of programmes to address these issues by:
- Intervening with young children to help them make more successful transitions at key points in the education system.
- Providing homework and youth supports to help children and young people do well and stay in education.
- Catering for the needs of young early school leavers through special training programmes.
- Encouraging adults to return to learning to increase their employment prospects as well as to help them to support their children and the younger generation in their communities.
For contact details of the Education & Training Team please click here
The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) is implemented by WLD. It aims to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long term unemployment through local engagement and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations and public sector agencies. The WLD Education and Training Programme is focused on providing support to marginalised people and groups within designated communities in Wexford.
Our Training & Education Brochure can be accessed here – WLD Training Booklet
Skills for Employment
The WLD Education and Training Programme, through SICAP funding, delivers a range of labour market training courses both accredited and unaccredited at no cost to help eligible job seekers to become more work ready.
SICAP funded training courses are available free to many people. You can find out if you may be eligible for a course here.
WLD is an approved QQI training centre and proves a range of QQI accredited training courses in areas such as Healthcare, Work Experience, Customer Service and Office Skills.
We offer many short courses to assist job seekers to improve their prospects of finding employment and to overcome common barriers such as lack of computer skills, interview experience, and low confidence. WLD also offers industry recognised courses and essential workplace training including SafePass, Food Hygiene and Safety, Patient Manual Handling and ECDL.
See our Education and Training Brochure for further details.
For further information please contact your local WLD Office and please see our Calendar of training courses for upcoming courses.
The Local Employment Service (LES) and WLD provides a free one-to-one guidance service, job searching support and training and educational opportunities.
The TÚS Scheme at WLD is a community work placement scheme for long-term unemployed people that is managed in Co. Wexford by WLD. As part of their placement, participants have access to training opportunities.
The Enterprise and Employment Team at WLD helps new entrepreneurs, particularly those who have been unemployed to set up or develop their own business. The Time for Change Programme (download the time-for-change-leaflet here), is targeted at 15-24 year olds who are not in employment, education or training to help them explore their strengths and clarify their priorities in a small group setting led by an experienced guidance professional.
Through the course of the new LEADER Programme, WLD will be organising various training development and mentoring programmes to support individuals, communities and entrepreneurs.
Community Learning
The SICAP programme is underpinned by a ‘community development’ approach which engages local communities in identifying their priorities and determining the best response at local level. This engagement of local people and communities in shaping local actions to meet their needs is what distinguishes the work of WLD and SICAP.
These community based programmes are free, flexible and delivered locally in a range of areas and are designed to promote lifelong learning and increase educational attainment as well as providing people with a first step into employment. These courses include Basic IT, Manual Handling, Driver Theory Test Preparation, Communication as well as Cookery, Beauty and Personal Effectiveness.
These programmes are also open to young people who are not in education, employment or training. Training programmes in targeted areas are integrated with the work of WLD’s Community Development team.
See our Education and Training Brochure for further details.
For further information please contact your local WLD Office and please see the Calendar of training courses for upcoming courses.
You can find out if you may be eligible for a course here.
Supporting Children and Young People in Formal Education
WLD delivers a range of programmes and interventions which support participation in formal learning across the life cycle. These programmes aim to support children and young people to make successful transitions in the education system and to support parents to become more involved in supporting their children’s learning.
- The Headstart Initiative works with Junior Infants and their parents in targeted schools to support the start of the formal school cycle.
- The Next Step works with Sixth Class children and their parents in targeted schools to help them negotiate the transition from primary to secondary school.
- The Meitheal Programme trains young people at Senior Level of post primary school to become mentors for incoming first years. The programme aims to increase retention rates and reduce instances of bullying and is offered in schools throughout County Wexford.
WLD works in collaboration with a range of young people, schools, parents, communities, informal education providers and further and third level providers, and other agencies in the ongoing development and delivery of these initiatives. A key resource for this work is the County Wexford Education Network which brings together formal and informal education providers, parents, students and community groups to focus on supporting and improving educational attainment through school and community-based initiatives.
For further information please contact your local WLD Office and please see the Calendar of training courses for upcoming courses.
The Education & Training Team
