Equal-Works

Background 

There are currently many categories of people who, although in work, experience exclusion from training opportunities by virtue of their work and life situations. Shiftworkers, part-time workers and people with childcare responsibilities, for example, may be unable to access training opportunities afforded to others because of access times of training and trainer facilities; disabled people often experience difficulties in accessing facilities designed largely for non disabled people; and employees in micro companies are often denied training opportunities because of pressures of work and lack of alternative staff. Their employability, both within the company and elsewhere, is thus reduced.

Main aims

The central focus of the ASAPH Partnership is to generate the innovative use of ICT to provide skills and training opportunities to current employees, in particular to improve access to training for people in employment who do not have existing capabilities or opportunities to gain additional skills. By highlighting categories of employees currently disadvantaged in Wales and using ICTs to deliver innovative and equal training opportunities, the work of ASAPH DP fits closely with Theme F.

This DP comprises local authorities, NGOs, consultancies, training providers, and large manufacturers, all of whom have a strong interest in helping to ensure that people can balance their life between work and home. The ASAPH DP will use a “Team Wales approach” to support the development of a cohesive partnership between SMEs, relevant training and service providers to respond to the identified needs of individuals and employers. The force of this approach will be evidenced by the support given to individuals to overcome they barriers they face because of dependants or childcare responsibilities, age, low level of skills, access to ICT, geographical ward deprivation, etc.

The impact of the Partnership will extend beyond the partner organisations into national and transnational policy arenas and will impact positively on a number of policies identified as being crucial to the development of Wales. The partnership will emphasise the use of ICT for providing skills and training opportunities to current employees, in particular to improve access to training for people in employment who do not have opportunities to gain additional skills. The outcomes of the Partnership will ensure that employers develop and maintain a culture of social responsibility for their employees and the society in which they operate.

Target groups

• Labour market returnees
• Lone parents and people with care responsibilities
• People from rural areas
• People over 50
  

The central focus of the ASAPH Partnership is to generate the innovative use of ICTs to provide skills and training opportunities to current employees, in particular to improve access to training for people in employment who do not have existing capabilities or opportunities to gain additional skills. By highlighting categories of employees currently disadvantaged in Wales and using ICTs to deliver innovative and equal training opportunities, the work fits closely with Theme F.

The implementation and results of the projects pursued by ASAPH partners have highlighted a number of issues that partners regard as essential to the future development of approaches to improving essential training and work/life balance in Wales. In particular it is suggested that politicians, policy-makers, service providers and others with an interest in this area should pay careful attention to the points covered in the list below.

Awareness of work/life balance

Employers and employees need to be more aware of the benefits of a better work/life balance, and of effective approaches for achieving this. The benefits include an ‘underpinning’ of the effectiveness of training.

Awareness of different needs and cultural backgrounds

Employers and training institutions need to adopt specific strategies and take imaginative and flexible approaches to providing access to training for disabled people, workers from outside the UK, employees with domestic commitments, and other disadvantaged groups. Whenever necessary, material should be provided in languages other than Welsh and English.

Awareness of legal and social issues

Both staff and overall organisational development takes place within legal, economic and social frameworks. The impact of these frameworks on training and employment opportunities needs to be taken into account when designing training materials and programmes.

Engaging SMEs

SMEs often have only a limited amount of interest in, or time available for, contributing to discussions or other project work on issues that appear to be relevant to them. Special strategies need to be devised and supported, such as the setting up of a local employers’ group or forum.

Engaging the workforce

Their own experiences often give employees a particularly useful view of the problems tha tsurround achieving improved work/life balance or access to appropriate training. Employers and training institutions should ensure that employees are able to make an input to developments in both these areas.

Partnership working

The ASAPH Development Partnership has benefited from the opportunity for partners to discuss and work together on projects that are of mutual interest to them. In order to maximise the impact of future developments in the areas concerned, contributions should be encouraged from all interested organisations.