09/07/2024
New £1.9m Jobstart Scheme For Over-50s
The Department for Communities has announced a new £1.9 million scheme to help boost employment opportunities for the over-50s.
JobStart 50+ will provide around 180 jobs across a range of sectors in a 'test and learn' pilot exercise funded by the UK government. The funding will be used to evaluate the impact of job support programmes for the over-50 age group and employers.
The scheme will mirror the Department for Communities' successful JobStart programme for 16 to 24-year-olds which saw 77 per cent of participants progress into full-time employment as a result of the skills and experience acquired through their JobStart opportunity.
Welcoming the funding allocation, Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, said: "This additional funding provides us with a significant opportunity to enhance the life chances of the over-50 age group who have found it difficult, for a range of reasons, to enter or re-enter the labour market.
"The JobStart 50+ scheme will also provide my Department with further insight on the particular challenges being faced by this group.
"The funding will make a real difference in helping people overcome those challenges and provide the practical support needed to build confidence and skills to maximise employability."
JobStart 50+ opportunities will be open to those aged 50 to 64 who are unemployed or economically inactive. The Department will work with employers and participants to secure appropriate job opportunities which provide the necessary skills to support sustainable employability.
The scheme is a partnership between HM Treasury, the Northern Ireland Office and the Department for Communities.
For further information on how to access the support available under the JobStart 50+ Scheme visit NI Direct
JobStart 50+ will provide around 180 jobs across a range of sectors in a 'test and learn' pilot exercise funded by the UK government. The funding will be used to evaluate the impact of job support programmes for the over-50 age group and employers.
The scheme will mirror the Department for Communities' successful JobStart programme for 16 to 24-year-olds which saw 77 per cent of participants progress into full-time employment as a result of the skills and experience acquired through their JobStart opportunity.
Welcoming the funding allocation, Minister for Communities, Gordon Lyons, said: "This additional funding provides us with a significant opportunity to enhance the life chances of the over-50 age group who have found it difficult, for a range of reasons, to enter or re-enter the labour market.
"The JobStart 50+ scheme will also provide my Department with further insight on the particular challenges being faced by this group.
"The funding will make a real difference in helping people overcome those challenges and provide the practical support needed to build confidence and skills to maximise employability."
JobStart 50+ opportunities will be open to those aged 50 to 64 who are unemployed or economically inactive. The Department will work with employers and participants to secure appropriate job opportunities which provide the necessary skills to support sustainable employability.
The scheme is a partnership between HM Treasury, the Northern Ireland Office and the Department for Communities.
For further information on how to access the support available under the JobStart 50+ Scheme visit NI Direct
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More than 25 Belfast-based employers are set to attend a free JobStart Meet the Employer on Tuesday 31 May at The MAC. Organised by Belfast City Council, the JobStart Meet the Employer event will offer 16-24 year olds the chance to chat to diverse employers including Allstate, Bruiser Theatre Company, Titanic Hotel and Ulster Wildlife.
28 August 2024
New Initiative To Help Older People Get Back Into Work
Belfast City Council has announced a new initiative to help people aged between 50 and 64 get back into employment. The Council will host a free JobStart 50+ Jobs Fair, in partnership with Department for Communities, this Thursday, 29 August from 10am to 1pm at 2 Royal Avenue.
New Initiative To Help Older People Get Back Into Work
Belfast City Council has announced a new initiative to help people aged between 50 and 64 get back into employment. The Council will host a free JobStart 50+ Jobs Fair, in partnership with Department for Communities, this Thursday, 29 August from 10am to 1pm at 2 Royal Avenue.
03 November 2025
JobStart Programme Creates Over 1,000 New Opportunities
The new JobStart programme, the largest jobs scheme of its kind in Northern Ireland, has successfully secured over one thousand new employment opportunities within weeks of its launch. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced that 385 employers have already applied to the scheme, offering a total of 1,060 new job openings.
JobStart Programme Creates Over 1,000 New Opportunities
The new JobStart programme, the largest jobs scheme of its kind in Northern Ireland, has successfully secured over one thousand new employment opportunities within weeks of its launch. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons announced that 385 employers have already applied to the scheme, offering a total of 1,060 new job openings.
17 November 2025
Minister Lyons Sees JobStart Success At South Belfast Dog Daycare
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited K9ndergarten, a dog daycare service in South Belfast, to witness the positive impact of the JobStart programme. The scheme, funded by the Department for Communities, has enabled the business to create a new job opportunity, with the participant already in post.
Minister Lyons Sees JobStart Success At South Belfast Dog Daycare
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons visited K9ndergarten, a dog daycare service in South Belfast, to witness the positive impact of the JobStart programme. The scheme, funded by the Department for Communities, has enabled the business to create a new job opportunity, with the participant already in post.
28 June 2023
Youth Employment Scheme Relaunches With Govt Funding
The Department for Communities (DfC) has announced the relaunch of a the JobStart scheme – an employment initiative for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. The scheme, which supports young people between the ages of 16 and 24 into the labour market, has been allocated £15 million from the New Deal for Northern Ireland initiative.
Youth Employment Scheme Relaunches With Govt Funding
The Department for Communities (DfC) has announced the relaunch of a the JobStart scheme – an employment initiative for young people at risk of long-term unemployment. The scheme, which supports young people between the ages of 16 and 24 into the labour market, has been allocated £15 million from the New Deal for Northern Ireland initiative.
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.