Our Impact
Evidence based approach
Over 85% in employment and/or full-time education after completing the programme (over a five year period).
Career LEAP is an evidence-based model of best practice in work-readiness training and inclusive labour activation for young unemployed adults from disadvantaged communities.
The programme compares extremely well to other initiatives nationally and internationally, and research (hyperlink to the research report) demonstrates that its partnership approach between community and youth services, business, and academia creates a highly successful, timely, and cost-effective intervention.
‘Joining the dots’
Partnership defines all aspects of the Career LEAP model, operating always with the interests of the young person at its core. The triadic partnership between community, business and academia results in a high quality, evidence-based work-readiness programme incorporating the expertise of each partner coming together in a structured and integrated way to focus on participants’ career competencies, workplace competencies and personal/professional skill sets as related to work readiness.
Did you know?
Almost 20% of participants are homeless prior to starting Career LEAP.
Reported benefits from business perspective
- Highly effective at increasing awareness of inclusion and diversity in the work place amongst staff.
- Highlights the valuable contribution that local young people can make to the workforce.
- Impacts positively on staff who engage with young people during placement and the CPD training course provided to mentors.
- Profiles businesses positively in local communities.
Reported benefits from community perspective
- High participant attendance rates (consistently above 85%).
- High completion rates (averaging at 80% and above).
- Works with and supports existing community organisations and service providers.
- Highly successful at connecting unemployed young people with local business.
- Creates a positive vibe amongst the local community with lots of enquiries from other young people wanting to join Career LEAP, and lots of young people talking about it.
Reported benefits from participants’ perspective
- Highly enjoyable pedagogy (love coming to sessions).
- Meeting and interacting with business people.
- Meaningful work placements.
- Significant increase in confidence and ability to network with people who can connect them with opportunities for training and employment.
- A career versus a job.
- Ongoing support.
Reported benefits from research perspective
- Bridges the theory-practice divide.
- Creation of an inclusive community.
- Dissemination of knowledge and expertise to the benefit of the City of Dublin, the country and the international community.
- Engaging with wider society and activating people’s talents.
- Building partnerships with community, business, government and state agencies in delivering Trinity’s mission to be a university working for the public good.
