A Letter of Offer was received in July, confirming delivery of the Labour Market Action Plan from 1 July 2024 through to 30 June 2025.

So far, 137 participants have engaged in a variety of targeted programmes, including the Graduate Disability Programme, Engineering (Coachbuilding), Tourism Academy, Plant Operations, Administration Academy, multiple Community Skills initiatives, Classroom Assistant training, Classroom Upskilling, Transport, and Enterprise Pathways.

To date, 35 participants have secured employment, and 102 qualifications have been achieved.

The STEM Intervention Programme ran between April and September. The initiative included a range of activities aimed at raising awareness of STEM subjects and career opportunities. The programme was offered free of charge to schools and included 17 in-school workshops, 2 full-day events, a Teacher Insight Day and a final celebration event.

Eight schools participated, with 454 students attending the in-school workshops and 326 participating in the 2 full-day events.

Over 1,200 participants and companies have engaged in the Apprenticeship E-Hub, far exceeding the target of 150.

In addition, 14 placements have been completed and 6 apprenticeships secured through our employment academies and the E-Hub. While some delays occurred due to the late award of funding, we are confident that our target of 60 will be met.

Between April and September, we were pleased to host 6 placement students across various departments, including Climate Change & Sustainability, Tourism, Arts & Culture, and Parks & Open Spaces.

As we move into the latter part of the year, we will continue to actively promote and engage with educational institutions to secure additional placements, further enhancing collaboration and providing more opportunities for students to gain practical experience in local government.

Between April and September 2024, over 5,000 people participated across 660 sessions in the MEA Active programme. Over half of participants were female and 1,642 participants had a disability or lifelong illness. The programme offered a variety of activities including AquaFit, Pilates, Danderball, Dodgeball, Gymnastics, Men’s Over 50’s Circuits, Pickleball, and Racket Club, ensuring a wide range of options for all ages and abilities.

A standout initiative was the PAN Disability Club, which ran across all 3 leisure centres, offering adapted activities like boccia, cycling, chair-based exercises, and inclusive fitness. The programme also hosted Disability Camps in the summer, providing tailored activities to keep individuals active and engaged. The Adapted Bike Scheme, available from May to September, enabled individuals with disabilities to enjoy cycling in a safe and inclusive way.

The Physical Activity Referral Scheme (PARS) is a 12-week programme we deliver in partnership with the Public Health Agency. It is aimed at helping individuals manage chronic conditions through prescribed physical activity. The programme begins with a consultation with a specialised exercise instructor, followed by a gym induction and regular progress reviews every four weeks.

Between April and September, PARS received 140 referrals, with 49 individuals enrolling in the programme. Of those enrolled, 19 participants have successfully completed the full 12-week programme. Additionally, 55 individuals have taken up the first-year GP referral offer and are now paying a reduced gym membership fee of £15 per month.

Between April and September, 130 people took part in a range of diverse events and activities including:

• Cultural and Historical Tours - Veterans enjoyed a Jewish heritage walking tour in Belfast, a visit to the Ulster Scots Community Network, and a tour of the White House at Whiteabbey.
• Guided Walks - Two popular guided walks took place, including a walk along the historical sites from Ballylumford to Skernaghan Point and a scenic walk from Whitehead to Blackhead.
• Educational and Historical Excursions - Participants engaged in a full-day bus tour to South East Fermanagh and Enniskillen Castle, including a guided exploration led by the South East Fermanagh Foundation, as well as a visit to the Lisburn Linen Centre and historic castle gardens, followed by a tour of the Ulster Aviation Society.
• Workshops and Storytelling - The programme included a storytelling workshop in Larne, where participants explored creative ways to share personal or family heritage stories, and a visit to the UNESCO-listed Moravian village of Gracehill.

The Poverty Action Group supports a range of beneficiaries, including low-income families, vulnerable individuals facing financial hardship, and broader local communities. These initiatives are designed to help those in need by offering financial support, budgeting advice, and access to essential resources.

Additionally, the group provides educational workshops to improve skills and employability, as well as distributing food and other necessities, and offering health and wellbeing programmes.

We were supported by the group to deliver the highly successful School Uniform Scheme across the borough.

During Loneliness Awareness Week in June, the Loneliness Network hosted a series of 3 pop-up Chatty Cafés. These one-off events were designed to raise awareness, tackle stigma and to highlight the 12 permanent Chatty Cafés which meet on a weekly basis throughout the year. 

The following initiatives are being delivered across the borough through the Loneliness Network:

• 18 Chatty Benches
• 12 Chatty Cafés
• 6 Kindness Post-boxes encouraging links between schools/youth organisations and care homes
• 3 Kindness Post-box exhibitions held in local libraries as part of Positive Ageing Month in October
• 6 new Loneliness Champions

We launched our Age-Friendly Strategy and Action Plan 2024-27 in September. This strategy was developed in collaboration with our Age-Friendly Alliance partners, addressing key themes aligned with the priorities of the World Health Organisation.

Additionally, the Age-Friendly Alliance plans to establish an Older Person's Forum to create a robust mechanism for engagement and consultation, ensuring that the voices of our older citizens are heard, considered and acted upon in decision-making processes.

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment that supports and welcomes individuals with autism and their families. Key developments over the past six months have included additional staff training and awareness, working towards becoming a JAM Card Friendly organisation, the introduction of ‘Quiet Hours’ and sensory friendly places, and updating our information and resources including pre-visitor guides.

We are also working in partnership with the Northern Health & Social Care Trust and the Northern Area Autism Reference Group to develop a Train the Trainer package to extend autism awareness to local services and organisations.

Our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Network was established internally to enhance the progression of our equality and diversity efforts, enabling departments to align their work, share progress and collaborate more effectively. The network meets quarterly to review the progress of actions contained within our Equality and Disability Action Plans.

A key achievement under the Equality Action Plan was the establishment of an Age-Friendly internal working group. Members of this working group undertook Age-Friendly awareness training, enabling them to conduct assessments of our buildings and services, with a view to making them more Age-Friendly and accessible. We also launched our Age-Friendly Strategy and Action Plan 2024 to 2027, in September.

Notable achievements under the Disability Action Plan include the hosting of 19 inclusive activities during Love Parks Week, such as biodiversity workshops, arts sessions and science experiments, all designed to be fully accessible. We also secured Access & Inclusion funding for accessibility improvements in our leisure centres, including a changing place in Larne, automated doors and enhanced signage.

As a result of reduced funding the Good Relations Action Plan was streamlined to the following 3 programmes:

1. Celebrating Culture Safely - This programme has been fully delivered with 9 beacons distributed in the borough.
2. Integrate - A procurement exercise has been completed and the Inter-Ethnic Forum (Mid and East Antrim) has been appointed to deliver the Integrate project until 31 March 2025.
3. Good Relations Audit and Strategy - A procurement exercise has been completed and contract awarded to deliver the consultation on the Good Relations Audit and Strategy. This contract will be completed by 31 March 2025.

Between 16 to 22 September, we were pleased to join local groups and organisations to celebrate Good Relations Week 2024. Coordinated by the Community Relations Council, the celebration focused on the theme of ‘OpportUNiTY’. The week included a programme of events including an exciting mix of workshops, lectures, theatre productions, panel discussions, feature talks, podcasts, exhibitions, musical performances, and much more. 

Progress against the PCSP Action Plan has been steady, despite a delayed start due to funding being received later than anticipated. This delay has impacted the delivery timeline for several planned actions.  

Initial actions focused on the reconstitution process with the NI Policing Board, including the appointment of new members, alongside induction and training exercises, which are now complete.

The PCSP has established 3 working groups to address key community safety issues, including anti-social behaviour, drugs & alcohol, and domestic & sexual violence.

We also continue to support the Inter-Ethnic Forum, funding bilingual speakers who act as advocates and assist individuals in the community who have limited English proficiency.

Other key initiatives delivered through the PCSP include the Four Tier Home Security programme, which offers victims of crime practical advice and equipment to improve home security, and the Small Grant Funding programme, which supports community groups with funding for their own community safety projects.