Northern Ireland charities say employment support staff face lay-off over EU funding cut

The UK Levelling Up Secretary, Michael Gove, has told MPs that a financial package is being finalised to help charities facing a funding crisis.

The £40million annual funding from the European Social Fund is due to end on 31 March as a result of Brexit. The UK government has promised to replace the money with its Social Prosperity Fund.

NI organisations had to apply to the fund with the process running from December 2022 through to January 2023.

However, they still don't know when, or even if, their application was successful. That means come 1 April they no longer have the funds to offer their employment support programmes.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Michael Gove said he was "well aware of the need to deliver quickly" and said his ministerial colleague Dehenna Davison was "working to ensure we deal with the cliff edge".

Northern Ireland has the lowest number of disabled people in the UK in employment. That's despite the efforts of the many organisations who provide vital support in helping people find jobs. They now face having to implement cuts to their programmes in a bid to fill a funding black hole.

Oscar winner James Martin helped secure a job as a barista through Mencap's employment services. That helped him gain the confidence that ultimately helped him become the Oscar winner he is today.

Without that service he says people with disabilities "would be snookered".

"If it wasn't for charities to help people like me find a job, we'd be snookered. Without that support, I would have been lost," he said.

Ivan Martin, James's dad is angry.

"It's life changing. Confidence and hope are built as part of a process that starts and grows and builds," he said.

"And you see the end result way down the track. But if somebody is lifting the tram lines, well there is no track so there is no opportunity. There is no building process and there is no increase in confidence. You're not back to Square One. You're back to minus Square One."

Grainne Close, Mencap Director, Grainne Close, says the organisation has been preparing for then end of the ESF for a while.

"We all knew it was coming to an end. The issue is that there's no replacement funding. There's no like for like funding. So come the 31 of March, we're looking at having to reduce our staff to 30% of what we have because of broken promises.

"And I feel the lack of clarity has been the worst. Especially when dealing with our staff. They're asking us questions and we're having to say actually we don't know. It just doesn't feel fair. It feels like we have been forgotten. It feels like there's broken promises that will have devastating consequences in terms of the physical and mental health of the people that we support. And not just now, but for future generations."

David Babingdon, chief executive of Action Mental Health says he can't believe how the funding uncertainty has been allowed to get to this stage.

"I'm at the stage where I am within a working week of the end of funding, and I have no idea what is happening this day next week," he said.

And with that uncertainty, comes a fear for the people his organisation helps.

"Action Mental Health has approximately 1,000, who have got mental health issues, coming to access our services over ten sites.

"On Monday, we will do our very best to make sure that all our clients are looked after and that they are safely returned to their referral agents. But our staff too. They're as anxious as the clients. And what are we going to do with them, we haven't quite worked out, but we will be asking them to stay on as we face having to wind down and reduce our services."

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