Background of the Restart Project

Research reveals that while most lone parents want to work they often face a complex combination of personal and structural barriers: low self-esteem, lack of affordable childcare, fear of moving off benefits and the need to update skills and gain work experience.

 

To respond to these difficulties, a cross-sectoral partnership in Northern Ireland developed Restart during the EU EQUAL programme. Restart is an accredited programme combining group work, individual life coaching with a work placement to develop participants’ self-esteem and employability. Practical help with applying for jobs, advice on personal finances, arranging childcare and transport help strengthen participants’ confidence about taking the major step of returning to work. The training materials, which are copyrighted Gingerbread NI 2010, are available to view on the links below for Chapter 1, 'Activities and Handouts' and Chapter 2, 'Tutor Materials'.

 

The Restart Transfer of Innovation project's main aim is to transfer the Restart training programme to Cyprus, Italy, Poland and Norway. Through this transfer, we aim to help lone parents, a group traditionally disadvantaged in the labour market, to achieve greater equality of access to sustainable employment across the EU.