Ministers Humphreys and Rabbitte Bring Certainty to Future Funding for Disability Projects
- Published on: 12 February 2021
- Last updated on: 25 February 2021
The Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphreys TD, and the Minister of State with responsibility for Disability, Anne Rabbitte TD, have today confirmed that arrangements will be put in place to support the continued provision of employment services for young people with disabilities.
The Ability Programme was introduced in June 2018 to bring young people with disabilities closer to the labour market.
The funding for this Programme will amount to around €16 million over a three-year period.
It is being provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning Operational Programme and the Irish Exchequer.
The Ability Programme is being delivered by 27 community and voluntary groups around the country.
As the three year Programme is to conclude in June 2021, Ministers Humphreys and Rabbitte have today confirmed that a range of new measures will be put in place to ensure that funding support for young people with disabilities will remain available into the future. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks and Pobal and the Department of Social Protection will be communicating directly with Ability Providers.
Earlier today, the Ministers met with representatives of the Ability Programme providers to brief them on the options to be put in place when the Programme ends on 30 June 2021. This will ensure certainty into the future.
Minister Humphreys stated:
“I am committed to improving and extending supports to help more people with disabilities get into employment and stay in the workforce. The work that the providers have carried out under the Ability Programme has been innovative and has made a huge difference in the lives of the young participants. I want to continue this type of programme so that more young people with disabilities avail of the opportunities they need to fulfil their potential. I am very satisfied that the plan being put in place will meet the needs of these young people and that the supports will fit within the suite of existing employment supports for people with disabilities provided by the Department of Social Protection.”
Minister Rabbitte added:
“It’s vital for people with disabilities to have access to such employment supports and I’m delighted to have worked with Minister Humphreys on clearing a path forward on this. Initiatives like the Ability Programme really helped people through the employment opportunities it offered and the results it has delivered have been real and tangible for its participants. Such measures also align with the government’s aims and obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and it’s great to be able to continue with such a programme, which I hope will further bolster the positive impact for the young people involved.”
ENDS
Notes for Editor
The Ability Programme was introduced in June 2018 and is a pre-activation programme for young people with disabilities. The funding for this Programme will amount to around €16 million over a three-year period and is being provided jointly under the European Union’s ESF 2014-2020 Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning Operational Programme and the Irish Exchequer.
The aim of the Ability Programme is to bring young people with disabilities who are not work-ready closer to the labour market. The Programme will promote employment prospects and meaningful social roles for young people with disabilities and, young people who are distant from the labour market using a range of person-centred supports. The Programme will support over 2,600 young people with disabilities aged between 15 – 29 years of age. The Programme runs for 3 years and will conclude in June 2021. The Programme is being delivered by 27 community and voluntary groups from around the country. Pobal have been contracted by the Department of Social Protection to manage the Programme.
Programme Objectives
- To bring young people with disabilities who are not work-ready closer to the labour market using a range of person-centred supports.
- To assist young people with disabilities to develop life-skills required to participate in education, training and employment.
- To assist young people with disabilities at key transition points between education, training and employment.
- To support young people with disabilities who are not in education, employment or training to access and participate in education, training and employment.
- To build the capacity of mainstream employment services, education and training providers to support the progression of young people with disabilities.
- To build the capacity of employers to recruit and retain young people with disabilities within their workforce.
Robust evaluation of services is essential to gather experiences and knowledge for future programmes. An on-going evaluation of the Ability Programme is being undertaken. The evaluation will also explore the effectiveness of the different approaches and actions applied in bringing young people with disabilities, who are not work-ready, closer to the labour market as well as examining impacts on the participants. The evaluation is being conducted over the duration of the Programme and it will conclude in June 2021. This evaluation will feed into future programmes in this area.
Pobal
Pobal is a not-for-profit intermediary organisation that manages various funding programmes on behalf of the Irish Government and the EU.
Ability Organisations by County
| Organisation | County |
| Ak Inspired Ability Company Limited By Guarantee | County Kerry |
| Blossom Ireland Community Inclusion | County Dublin |
| Central Remedial Clinic, CRC | County Dublin |
| Cill Dara Ar Aghaidh Cuideachta Faoi Theorainn Rathaiochta | County Kildare |
| Co Wexford Community Workshop (New Ross) Company Limited By Guarantee | County Wexford |
| Cope Foundation | County Cork |
| Down Syndrome Ireland | County Dublin |
| Dublin City University | County Dublin |
| Dublin South City Partnership Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Fingal Leader Partnership Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Forum Connemara Company Limited By Guarantee | County Galway |
| I.W.A. Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Ird Duhallow Company Limited By Guarantee | County Cork |
| Knockanrawley Resource Centre | County Tipperary |
| Limerick Youth Service | County Limerick |
| Northside Partnership Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Offaly Integrated Local Development Company Limited By Guarantee | County Offaly |
| Peter Bradley Foundation Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Roscommon Integrated Development Company Limited By Guarantee | County Roscommon |
| Specialisterne Ireland Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| St. Cronans Association Company Limited By Guarantee | County Tipperary |
| The Blanchardstown Area Partnership Company Limited By Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Tipperary Regional Youth Service Company Limited By Guarantee | County Tipperary |
| Walkinstown Association for People with an Intellectual Disability Company Limited by Guarantee | County Dublin |
| Walkinstown Green Social Enterprises Limited | County Dublin |
| West Cork Development Partnership Company Limited By Guarantee | County Cork |
| Wexford Local Development | County Wexford |