To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning what is his assessment of the Step Ahead 50+ Initiative; and whether it will be extended beyond March 2015.

Step Ahead 50+ was introduced in January 2013 after funding was secured through the Executives Economy and Jobs Initiative, announced on 7 November 2012. Step Ahead 50+ was designed to improve job outcomes for participants from this age group by providing them with work experience and a recent job history thereby enabling them to compete more effectively for jobs in the current economic climate.

Given that this Initiative has already exceeded its target of 1,100 temporary job opportunities within the Community/Voluntary sector by March 2015, for this traditionally harder to help section of our community, I would consider the Initiative to have been a success.

Step Ahead 50+ was a time bound initiative funded by the Executive to March 2015 at which time funding for the programme ended. With the withdrawal of this funding it is not possible to continue with the programme beyond March 2015. To do so would create additional financial pressures at a time when, as I am sure you are aware, resources are not available.