To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning for his assessment of the Collaboration and Innovation Fund to support young people who are not in employment, education or training; and what plans he has to continue this Fund post March 2015.

The Collaboration and Innovation Fund has achieved a number of key objectives. An evaluation of the programme which is close to completion indicates that the initiatives and activities adopted have been successful in identifying and working with marginalised and disadvantaged groups of young people who are not in employment, education or training. This has contributed to the number of young people in this category dropping from 1 in 5 to 1 in 7 in Northern Ireland according to the latest Labour Force Survey figures.

The programme has been effective in fostering a more collaborative and innovative approach that has enabled organisations to learn from each other, share good

practices and establish what works best. Working together or working with partners has contributed to a more effective service and supported many young people who do not avail of mainstream education and training.

The programme has reinforced the use of evidence-based approaches around the action planning process, design of mentoring, joint working between agencies, and the forms of wider support being delivered. Mentoring in particular has proved very effective in providing support to the most disengaged young people who are experiencing extreme difficulties in their lives.

I am pleased with the outcomes achieved under the Collaboration and Innovation Fund which has provided support to over 5,200 young people to date. In addition to the positive outcomes into employment, education and training, projects report many cases where the programme has improved the motivation, confidence and social skills of participants and helped to move them closer to the labour market.

While the Collaboration and Innovation Fund programme will cease at the end of March 2015, as this was a DFP ring-fenced budget to explore new approaches to address the barriers experienced by young people not in employment, education or training (NEET), my Department will continue to support those young people. I have introduced a new investment priority under the European Social Fund (ESF) aimed at achieving sustainable integration of young people into the labour market with particular emphasis on those young people who are at risk of social exclusion or from marginalised communities. Meeting the specific needs of these young people will be a priority for my Department with a particular focus on increasing employability

The new provision will draw upon the good practices tested under the Collaboration and Innovation Fund and reflected in the current evaluation of the Pathways to Success Strategy. I am confident that this approach will provide the training and support required to address the barriers experienced by this group.