The Irish American Partnership has developed and invested $100,000 in SparkStart Digital, in partnership with Fastrack Into IT (FIT), continuing to support the work of United States Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, Joseph P. Kennedy III.
SparkStart Digital was designed in honor of Special Envoy Kennedy to further support the economic development work he has achieved across Northern Ireland. With a goal of igniting interest in IT for unemployed marginalized young people, SparkStart is customized to provide targeted support and opportunities to acquire digital skills, build confidence, and access pathways to further learning and quality employment with good career prospects.
The digital skills program will support 350 participants for three years and is directed towards unemployed marginalized young people in Belfast.
Kennedy met with Irish American Partnership President & CEO Mary Sugrue, and FIT CEO Peter Davitt at the Portview Trade Centre, where they presented a tailored digital skills initiative for disadvantaged young people in Belfast.
“There are hundreds of people who will be helped by this investment, and I’m so moved that the Irish American Partnership would think to do so in collaboration with our efforts,” said U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs, Joseph P. Kennedy III.
Prioritizing young job seekers experiencing challenges such as young people not in education, employment, or training, women returners, newly arrived migrant communities, and special educational needs learners. Of these participants:
- 90% will attain a recognized digital skills qualification
- 45% will progress into further technology skills training
- 30% will progress into employment at a practitioner level in the technology industry.
“We are proud to invest in Northern Ireland’s future through the support of the FIT SparkStart Digital initiative, in honor of our great friend, Special Envoy Joe Kennedy. Continuing our work of the past 38 years, we are committed to bolstering the economic development and education opportunities afforded to young people in Belfast,” said Chief Executive Mary Sugrue.
“We’re a social enterprise. Our profit is getting people jobs,” said CEO Peter Davitt. “Our journey began with the Irish American Partnership in 1986 as our first funder at the Ballymun Job Centre in North Dublin. It is a long-term relationship which we value, and I look forward to the future successes of SparkStart Digital here in Belfast,” he continued.
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