SCOOP Recruit
SCOOP Recruit is a pre-employment training programme for job seekers living in Direct Provision.
SCOOP Recruit is delivered mainly online to circumvent barriers relating to travel and access to centres. The programme also empowers people seeking asylum as facilitators and coordinators who provide one-to-one support on the ground to ensure a meaningful service and candidate progression. Access to education and social capital (building job connections) is a barrier to people isolated in the Direct Provision system. The SCOOP Recruit programme helps address this need through a carefully developed Candidate Journey programme with ongoing support and relationship building.
Features of the Programme
Access to Training
The programme is delivered online with professional content from partners, including self-developed material. SCOOP provides laptops for those who need them. The key priorities are based on resident polling by Movement of Asylum Seekers (MASI) in Ireland.
Candidate Journey
Through focus group discussions with people in Direct Provision, we discovered candidates often experience short engagements from CSR-type initiatives that soon disappear. We provide meaningful service through our programme that supports a progressive path and long-term relationship building.
Direct Provision Facilitator Involvement
A unique feature of our programme is that we engage people from the Direct Provision system itself as facilitators, coordinators, and on the management team. Taking a partnership approach is a core value of the SCOOP Recruit programme. Also, having people on the team from Direct Provision is invaluable for our programme development. They understand the needs and spot issues related to job culture from diverse backgrounds. We also include a train the trainer element to our programme to develop this in parallel.
High Demand
In our experience, it is much easier to recruit for this programme. Employment is at the core of integration and development autonomy. This programme is serving an immediate need here.
Clear and Tangible Impact
We have developed milestones (e.g. certification, mentorship, mock interview, etc.) that make it easy to track participants’ progression. Key demonstrable measures include securing employment, internships & voluntary work. This programme is easy to deliver to large groups and can demonstrate a more far-reaching impact and scaling potential.
Mobile & Flexible
With the online delivery we can cope with transient living situations of candidates as well as accessing multiple centres simultaneously. Programme Co-ordinator Gavin Timlin from Create Sound also has extensive experience delivering training using a mobile model through his Social Enterprise CreateSound which has delivered repeat courses in 100+ locations around Ireland over the last 10 years.
Leverage Existing Multinational Relationships
Through our existing relationship with Accenture and LinkedIn, we can access up to date content and create meaningful experiences for candidates via direct delivery and one-to-one mentorship programmes. The Accenture Skills to Succeed programme helps during pre-employment training and LinkedIn support with one-to-ones and access to training materials, provision of account licences etc.
Strong Relationship with Support Community
We focus on building and maintaining relationships with the Direct Provision support network. Some of our partners include the Irish Refugee Council, MASI, Recruit Refugees, Dignity Partnership etc. Our partners help facilitate, source, and connect with candidates, provide guest speakers, and develop and update training content..
If you are interested in getting involved with this programme, please email [email protected]
