Rural Community Transport Partnerships gain IIP status (20/01/10)

20 January 2010

Seventeen Rural Community Transport Partnerships have been awarded with Investors in People (IiP) accreditation.

IiP has long been acknowledged as the most successful framework for business improvement through people. It helps organisations of every size, sector and location to compete and succeed through improved people performance, giving businesses that all important competitive edge.

Northern Ireland’s 17 Rural Community Transport Partnerships provide accessible individual and group travel services to community groups, older people and people with disabilities on a non-profit making basis.

Raymond McAuley, Head of the Department for Employment and Learning’s Management Development Branch, presented the IiP awards to each of the Rural Community Transport Partnerships during the celebration event held at Belfast Castle on 13 January 2010.

Commenting on the IiP awards Employment Minister, Sir Reg Empey, said: “I congratulate each Rural Community Transport Partnership on this tremendous achievement, and commend the Department for Regional Development and the Community Transport Association for their support and financial contribution in assisting the community transport organisations through the Investors in People process. My Department has invested some £35,000 in supporting this group achieve IiP and I am pleased that they have achieved such success across the board.”

Sir Reg added: “I am particularly pleased that these IiP awards have been presented to a group of not-for-profit rural community organisations, proving that IiP is very much relevant to the voluntary and community sector. I would urge more voluntary and community organisations to follow suit.”

Notes to editors:
1. Investors in People (IIP) is a framework for business improvement that helps organisations to compete and succeed through improved people performance. The framework is designed to help organisations develop the knowledge and skills of their people so that what they can do is what the business needs them to do, providing sufficient stretch and challenge for all businesses.

2. Over 1,500 small, medium and large organisations from all sectors and sizes of business in Northern Ireland are currently using Investors in People to transform their businesses.

3. The organisations receiving accreditation as Investors in People during this special ceremony were: Armagh Rural Transport Ltd, Armagh; Causeway Area Rural Transport, Coleraine; Cookstown Rural Community Transport, Cookstown; Down Armagh Rural Community Transport Partnership Ltd, Lurgan; Down Community Transport, Downpatrick; Dungannon & District Community Transport, Dungannon; Easilift Community Transport Ltd, Strabane; FAST Rural Transport, Irvinestown; Lagan Valley Rural Transport, Lisburn; Newry & Mourne Community Transport, Newry; North Antrim Community Transport, Ballycastle; Out & About Community Transport, Magherafelt; Peninsula Community Transport Ltd, Kircubbin; Roe Valley Rural Community Transport Partnership, Limavady; Rural Lift for South West Fermanagh, Enniskillen; Rural Link Community Transport, Carrickmore; South Antrim Community Transport, Ballyclare.

4. Photographs from the presentation ceremony are available on request from the Department for Employment and Learning’s Press Office.

5. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch, on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.

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