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Background

Wider Horizons, which is one of the programmes of the International Fund for Ireland, promotes economic advancement and reconciliation between groups of people in Ireland, North and South, by sending them on locations either at home or overseas to obtain training and work experience. Every Wider Horizons group has two elements: it must represent both traditions in the North and also have a North/South dimension. The age group is usually 16-28 years and the period on location at home or overseas is usually between one to two months. A typical project involves 10-25 people, the target audience is mainly unemployed young people.

Duration

The programme continues on an annual basis.

Drumshanbo Enterprise Centre is involved with Enterprise Ulster in running a programme in March 2001. Participants will travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for 6 weeks.

Seven young people from Leitrim are being offered the chance of a lifetime to undergo training in Telesales and Customer Care through a Wider Horizons programme founded by the International Fund for Ireland.

The programme is targeted at Telesales and Information Technology through a cross border programme which will offer seven young people from Co. Leitrim and fourteen from Belfast the opportunity to undertake a range of training including personal development, Information Technology (ECDL) customer care (NCQ level), job search and 6 weeks training and work placement in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, which is located five hours west of Boston. Drumshanbo Enterprise Centre was asked by the Leitrim Partnership Board to participate and along with Enterprise Ulster submitted a proposal to the International Fund for Ireland last year to deliver a cross community/cross border and Trans Atlantic training programme with a telesales/customer care focus.

Secretary of the Enterprise centre, Sean Wynne said he was delighted to announce the details of the project to Pittsburgh USA

Drumshanbo Enterprise Centre would like to acknowledge the work of Mr Tom Lavin and Mr Paul Hamilton from the Leitrim Partnership Board who provided the initial contacts and support at the proposal stage.

Mr Alan Gregg of Enterprise Ulster, our Northern partner and Ms Rosaleen Kielty our Centre Manager who did most of the background work in putting the programme together.