Jumpstart Employment & Develop your Initiative (JEDI) Project

Funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) the JEDI programme was designed by BELS to deliver four flexible and inter-related learning components to enhance and improve the employment opportunities of 229 NEET participants over a two year period across five boroughs in South London which include: Bromley, Kingston, Merton, Sutton and Richmond from January 2009 – December 2010. The aim of the programme is to provide at risk young people with the skills and confidence to pursue further education opportunities, training or employment. The entire programme will be delivered locally at multiple sites. The programme will focus on learners aged 14 – 19 that have been classified as NEET or who are at risk of becoming NEET. It is anticipated that each learner taking part in this programme will receive up to 94 hours of face-to-face learning support to assist them in achieving their programme-linked aims. The learner experience may include the following elements:

1. An initial interview that includes both a skills for life assessment and the development of an Individual Learning Plan (ILP)

2. A selection of dedicated workshops designed to address poor employment related skills as well as issues surrounding self confidence and self-esteem. Some participants may progress into a work experience placement. Eligible learners may select from the following choice of workshops when first engaging on the programme:

Communication
CV Writing & Development
Interview Skills & Practice
IT Skills
Literacy
Numeracy
Motivational Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
Music Production
Personal Finance
Work Experience Preparation

3. Programme participants successfully completing the above workshops may select to further enhance employability skills by undertaking a series of more advanced workshops that will result in a work experience placement. These learners will be offered:

Up to three more employability –linked workshops
Videoed mock interviews with a business volunteer
A work experience interview with a prospective placement employer
Support with a Job Search
On-going e-mentoring

4. All programme participants will be individually supported by their Youth Organisation Development Advisor (YODA). These advisers will act as both mentors and advocates for the programme’s beneficiaries. They will work directly with the learners to ensure that barriers to programme success are removed or minimised throughout the lifetime of the project. They will also serve as a focus for further support up to six months after the participant leaves the programme through the use of a dedicated website designed to offer continued support to all learners engaging on the programme.