Edinburgh Napier University

  This report presents the findings of research commissioned by the Department for Employment and Learning, Northern Ireland (DELNI) and conducted by the Employment Research Institute (ERI) at Napier University, Edinburgh, with the support of the Business and Management Research
Institute at the University of Ulster.
The research aimed to investigate best practice in inter-agency co-operation, both at the strategic level of partnership working between policy actors, and at the operational level, where local professionals work together to implement programmes. By sharing ownership of, and responsibility for, the content and management of employability programmes with local stakeholders, government can help develop and implement policies that are more responsive to local labour market needs, have credibility with communities and clients, and benefit from the ‘buy-in’ of key agencies and employers.