ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to provide the main component of government policy towards the unemployed, training and employment schemes. In Britain training measures include the Youth Training Scheme, Employment Training and Employment Action which were amalgamated into the Training for Work Programme in 1993. The direct employment schemes which provide employment primarily in the 'social sector' of the economy included the Community Programme in Britain and Action for Community Employment and Enterprise Ulster in Northern Ireland. Training and employment schemes have been particularly important in Northern Ireland because of the very high rate of long-term unemployment. The findings on training and employment schemes do not auger well for the Community Work Programme (CWP) or existing approaches to training the unemployed. The CWP has always had a high political profile. Given the potential number of CWP placements and its unique delivery mechanism, it was important to investigate the relevance of the CWP as a response to long-term unemployment.
