FOLLOWING the success of Habitat for Humanity Ireland’s Building Impact project, the organisation has launched a new initiative at ReStore Ballymena, entitled Retail Ready at ReStore, supported by The Gallaher Trust which has committed to a spend of £170,000 over the next three years.
Retail Ready is a three-week programme that aims to provide participants with the retail skills and knowledge required to secure and sustain employment. Offering Open College Network (OCN) accredited training, the course will be delivered via a mixture of classroom and practical, hands-on learning.
By the project’s conclusion in June 2028, Habitat Ireland is aiming to engage 450 ReStore volunteers, provide OCN accredited training for 225 individuals, with 45 volunteers securing a job.
Earlier this year, Habitat’s Building Impact project, which ran for almost four years, saw 365 volunteers engaged, 217 individuals receiving OCN training and 49 securing employment – 88% of whom remained in employment for at least six months.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with The Gallaher Trust once again as we turn our attention to our new Retail Ready programme which we are excited to deliver in ReStore and in our recently completed mezzanine with new training facilities at ReStore Ballymena,” commented Jenny Williams, Chief Executive at Habitat for Humanity Ireland.
Isobel Kerr, ReStore Ballymena Manager says: “The success of our previous Building Impact project demonstrated the real difference that skills-based training can make in terms of the confidence and knowledge necessary to secure employment. Retail Ready aims to deepen the impact, equipping participants with the skills needed to work in retail and get tailored support to be interview ready. We are building strong partnerships with local companies that will work with us to provide a pathway to employment for people of all backgrounds and abilities.
“We are thankful for our continued partnership with The Gallaher Trust, which will enable us to support more local people into employment over the next three years. The success of the OCN-accredited training in Ballymena has allowed us to scale the model to ReStores throughout Northern Ireland, meaning that we can support even more people into sustainable employment.”
Established in 2017, The Gallaher Trust has already committed £3.1 million to local projects supporting job creation, skills development and assistance for disadvantaged adults.
“Habitat for Humanity shares our ethos of empowering individuals through opportunity, which is why we were so keen to partner with them again, coupled with the success they achieved through the Building Impact project,” explained James Perry MBE, a Trustee at The Gallaher Trust.
“We know that skills-based training can be hugely beneficial for both individuals and the wider business economy, especially during a time when many sectors are struggling to recruit skilled staff.
“By supporting the Retail Ready at ReStore project, we’re helping to ensure that even more people across Ballymena can gain the qualifications, confidence and experience they need to secure meaningful employment.”
Consisting of six people, the first cohort of the Retail Ready programme concluded at the end of September. For more information on the programme or to sign up, visit: https://www.habitatireland.org/blog/retailready.
For further information on The Gallaher Trust and the projects it supports, visit: www.thegallahertrust.org.
