The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015 – 2017 aims to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement and partnerships. It is funded by the Irish government and European Social Fund, and managed by Local Community Development Committees in each local authority area. Programme implementers in 46 community and voluntary entities deliver services locally to disadvantaged individuals and communities.

1. The Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) 2015 – 2017 is
funded by the Irish Government and co-funded by the European Social Fund and includes
a special allocation under the Youth Employment Initiative.

2. CLODAGH MCDONNELL
SOCIAL INCLUSION AND COMMUNITIES UNIT
 SICAP
 CONTRACT WITH POBAL
 CONTROL OF DOGS
 MANAGEMENT OF BURIAL GROUNDS

3. WHAT IS SICAP?
 The largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State.
 A national Government programme- implemented locally.
 Its aim is to tackle poverty, social exclusion and long-term unemployment through local engagement
and partnership between disadvantaged individuals, community organisations, public sector
agencies and other stakeholders.
 The SICAP target groups are children and families from disadvantaged areas, lone parents, new
communities (including Refugees/Asylum Seekers), people living in disadvantaged
communities, people with disabilities, Roma, the unemployed (including those not on the Live
Register), Travellers and young unemployed people from disadvantaged areas (including
young people aged 15-24 who are not in employment, education or training) and low income
workers.
 A voluntary programme

4. HOW DOES IT OPERATE?
 It is managed by Local Community Development Committees (LCDC) in each Local Authority area
throughout the country. LCDCs were established under the Local Government Reform agenda (Local
Government Act, 2014).
 46 Community and Voluntary entities, for example Local Development Companies, in each Local
Authority area, deliver the programme at a local level. The companies are also known as
Programme Implementers.
 The programme is delivered based on the needs identified in each area by the LCDCs –with their
planning and targeting role- and the Programme Implementers.
 Each Programme Implementer has a contract with the LCDC to deliver a set number of outputs under
each of the Programme’s three goals.
 Total contractual funding of €37.5 million this year. Top line budget of some €42 million.
 Must add value to mainstream programmes (e.g. mainstream public employment services,
DSP services in the main)

5. SICAP GOALS
The Programme has three goals which focus on: Community Development, Education and Training, and
Employment. These goals are:
1. To support and resource disadvantaged communities and marginalised target groups to engage with
relevant local and national stakeholders in identifying and addressing social exclusion and equality
issues;
2 To support individuals and marginalised target groups experiencing educational disadvantage so they
can participate fully, engage with and progress through life-long learning opportunities through the use
of community development approaches;
3. To engage with marginalised target groups/individuals and residents of disadvantaged communities who
are unemployed but who do not fall within mainstream employment service provision, or who are
referred to SICAP, to move them closer to the labour market and improve work readiness, and support
them in accessing employment and self-employment and creating social enterprise opportunities.

6. MAIN FINDINGS FROM MID-TERM REVIEW OF THE PREDECESSOR PROGRAMME
 The need to focus on fewer outcomes in line with local needs and national priorities, in
particular in line with relevant Local Government Reform policy priorities, ‘Putting People
First’ (e.g. the establishment of Local and Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in
each Local Authority area);
 The Programme must continue to engage with the most difficult to reach (including Travellers
and Migrants) in the most disadvantaged areas;
 There needs to be a focus on youth and interventions to address youth unemployment, for the
harder to reach youth;
 There is a need to balance the social and economic dimensions of disadvantage.
 The Programme needs to effectively contribute to citizen engagement in line with national
policy; and
 The Programme should add value to public services by ensuring it fills important local gaps in
provision and by preparing disadvantaged people to take up mainstream services.

7. OTHER FACTORS WHICH INFORMED SICAP POLICY
OECD evidence base - two key reports:
Local Job Creation, Ireland (2013)
An international, cross-government study of over 10 countries, it examined the contribution of local labour
market policy to boost quality employment and productivity in Ireland.
Included 2 case study regions – Dublin and South East regions. It comprised a unique scoreboard made up of
over 100 indicators, giving a score in 4 areas:
 Aligning policies and programmes
 Adding value through skills
 Targeting policy
 Inclusion
Local Youth Employment Strategies, Ireland (2014)
 Part of an international review to identify the key instruments of successful local strategies to support youth
employment
 Focused on heterogeneity amongst youth – NEETs, poorly integrated new entrants, and good performers

8. STAKEHOLDER CONSULTATION PROCESS
Involving:
 Meetings with Stakeholders and Lead Government Departments
 An On-Line Survey

9. IN 2016 …..
 47,511 people assisted
 49% were long-term unemployed
 and 42% from a jobless household
 3,076 local community groups helped
 30,206 people received an employment and job training support
 5,752 people set up their own business - and these new businesses created 720 full-time
jobs
 5,373 young people not working or studying were helped
 Almost 55,890 children received educational or developmental support

10. SICAP CLIENT CENTRED APPROACH TO JOB MATCHING
 The Personal Action Plan (PAP) used is designed to assist SICAP clients to identify their pathway
back to education, to employment or to self-employment.
 This PAP focuses on facilitating individuals to complete a SWOT analysis and uses the GROW (Goal,
Reality, Options/Obstacles and Way Forward) model of coaching to help them to fully understand the
realistic steps that they need to take to make this goal a reality.
 This approach is used where individuals set goals that may not realistically be achievable
immediately. They may need a few interventions, either from the SICAP implementer or elsewhere
before they are fully ready to move forward. The PAP is very beneficial for use with Job Seekers who
have been unemployed for a period of time.
 Steps to achieve the goals and plans to move forward are agreed with the client and follow up at each
stage of implementation are built into the plan.

11. CASE STUDIES
 This case study describes a tailor made course designed to prepare participants for locally identified
employment opportunities and engagement with employers to ensure that participant skills met
employer requirements. Through consultation and networking with the Department of Social
Protection (DSP) employer engagement services, Westmeath Community Development Ltd. (WCD)
learnt that TK Maxx and Esquires Coffee House intended to open new premises in 2015, in Mullingar,
Co Westmeath.
 A total of 20 individuals took part in the course (5 male and 15 female). 14 participants were long
term unemployed, two were short term unemployed and four were economically inactive (two were
under 1.
 1 participant had primary level of education, 5 had lower secondary, 12 had upper secondary and 2
had third level attainments
 The SICAP Programme Implementer (WCD) encouraged all the younger clients under actions 7
(early school leavers) and 5 (education action) to consider participating in this course by ring-
fencing 60% of the places for them.

12. WORKING WITH EMPLOYERS
TK Maxx
 TK Maxx did not carry out their recruitment at a local level but WCD clients were encouraged to
apply through the main TK Maxx Human Resource (HR) office.
 A month before the opening of the store, TK Maxx was contacted again and this time they asked that
WCD forward clients’ CVs. TK Maxx interviewed all candidates WCD recommended.
 WCD spent time with the managers of TK Maxx to learn about the positions and the skills required.
They spent a week intensively preparing clients for their interviews, studying the company
background, mission etc;.
 WCD spent time supporting clients on a one-to-one and group basis, to ‘ put the best foot forward’ to
demonstrate the skills and knowledge they gained on the course through preparation of competency
based interview responses.
 In addition to delivering the six week course- a one week TK Maxx interview support course was
delivered.

13. OUTCOME
 The clients received background information on TK Maxx, and training on the breakdown of roles
and responsibilities.
 They were assisted with creating up to date CVs and psychometric testing and training.
 In October, the manager of TK Maxx contacted WCD to recruit for part-time Christmas staff. WCD
delivered a one week TK Maxx interview course in October for individuals who wished to apply for
the Christmas jobs and an additional three clients secured work.
Final outcome:
 13 secured jobs with TK Maxx
 1 job secured with Esquires
 4 secured employment elsewhere; 1 retail, 1 construction, 1 as an Airport Security Officer.
 1 participant is on a JobBridge Internship
 1 job seeking but no longer engaging with SICAP or other WCD services

14.  Course Participants taking part in the fashion retail styling module