Social Inclusion and Employment
AMION has developed a nationally-recognised expertise in work on
social inclusion, neighbourhood renewal and employment and training
issues. Our work ranges from major evaluation contracts with
government departments and multi-sectoral partnerships through to
smaller scale development work with local community groups.
Services include a full spectrum of activities. At a project level,
they involve, for example, detailed feasibility, market assessment,
business planning and funding support. The team has extensive
expertise in undertaking area needs analyses, policy analysis and
development, and has been involved in a wide range of evaluations -
including relatively small scale local initiatives as well as major
national programme and strategy evaluations.
Three key aspects of our work are:
1. Employment and training
AMION has been involved in designing and supporting the
implementation of a number of major successful initiatives to
provide 'customised routeways' that enable workless people to
access jobs in sectors such as health and construction. The
key to AMION's approach has been to ensure that interventions are
demand led and has involved supporting the development of effective
partnerships that actively engage all relevant partners and, in
particular, employers.
The team has undertaken several pieces of work supporting area and
other partnerships in the development of more strategic approaches
to skills development. This has included work on the development of
key sectors. The company also has a particular expertise in
designing and supporting the development of transitional employment
initiatives including intermediate labour market initiatives.
2. Neighbourhood renewal
AMION has recently completed a long-term assignment on evaluating
the Government's Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy. Other work has
ranged from work at the national level, on best practice approaches
to developing skills for neighbourhood renewal and reviewing a
range of NRF-funded projects, through to local work with
partnerships in developing and reviewing local plans and
projects. The team has also assisted in the development
and review of local management structures for partnerships and
advised on approaches to community engagement and
participation.
3. Local and social enterprise
AMION has an extensive history of developing and reviewing
approaches to local business development. This currently includes
the national evaluation of the Local Enterprise Growth Initiative
(LEGI). It has also had a long-standing involvement in supporting
the development of the social enterprise sector. The team has
worked with a wide range of partners - including individual social
enterprises and local community partnerships - to scope the
potential for projects and programmes and formulate proposals for
new activities. This work has also included working with public
sector bodies to review future options (including the potential
role for social enterprises) for the delivery of particular service
areas. The team has also worked with a range of regional and local
bodies on various evaluations of approaches to supporting the
sector and advised on the development of strategies for its
development.
AMION works with a wide array of organisations on social inclusion, neighbourhood renewal, and employment and training issues. Our services range from major contracts with government departments and multi-sectoral partnerships through to smaller scale development work with local community groups. Services include a full spectrum of activities. At a project level, they involve, for example, detailed feasibility, market assessment, business planning and funding support. The team also has expertise in policy analysis and development and has been involved in a wide range of evaluations - including relatively small scale local initiatives as well as major national programme and strategy evaluations.