A training allowance aims to encourage marginalised young people to re-engage with learning through education, skills training or apprenticeships.
Announced by Minister for Employment and Learning Dr Stephen Farry, it will target young people not in education, employment or training (NEET) on programmes funded by the European Social Fund (ESF).
The allowance addresses concerns about the lack of access to Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for young people on programmes targeted at the hardest to reach and those young people who are classified as NEET.
The Minister said: “This training allowance has been designed to ensure that there are effective incentives for young people to encourage them to re-engage with learning and develop the skills and qualifications to support them into work.
“This issue was brought to my attention by young people who were themselves on these programmes. They felt that a training allowance would provide an additional incentive to participate in ESF programmes and that there was a gap in provision given that other young people who enrolled in Further Education or Training for Success were potentially entitled to an Education Maintenance Allowance.
The new training allowance will be called Pathways for Young People EMA and there will be two rates payable:
* A £10 lower rate requiring up to 10 hours attendance per week. This may be used by some projects for young people in an induction phase before they move on to the higher rate and by some projects which have lower attendance requirements; and
* A £25 higher rate requiring 10 hours and over attendance per week.