EPIC Futures NI

EPIC Futures NI is a Local Policy Innovation Partnership which aims to be a pioneering ‘think tank’ and action group which will bring together diverse stakeholders in an open forum and provide an evidence base for policy and programmes aimed at targeting the ‘hidden unemployed’ within the economically inactive population in NI. We will adopt a partnerism approach and work with policy makers, education providers, industry and community groups to collectively work towards shared goals, designed to address economic inactivity and improve economic and social prosperity in NI. In particular the project will: - Facilitate partnership building and co-create research with external actors. - Help address data gaps on current and future skills needs across NI holistically and sub-regionally. - Develop a Labour Market Observatory for NI. - Administer a £1 million commissioning fund. - Enhance understanding of how NI’s unique cultural and political nuances influence our skills and labour market challenges. TEAM Lead partner/Director: Ulster University (Principal Investigator/Hub Director - Professor Kristel Miller) Co-directors: Ulster University Economic Policy Centre (Mark Magill, Principal Economist) Department for Communities (Deirdre Ward, Director of Work and Wellbeing) Department of Finance (Rachel Singleton, Senior Behavioural Scientist) Department for the Economy (Graeme Wilkinson, Director of Skills) Co-investigators Queen’s University Belfast Open University Disability Action Women’s Resource Development Agency Women’sTec Involve Business in the Community Northern Ireland Social Enterprise Northern Ireland Northern Ireland Confederation of Health and Social Care Chief Executives’ Forum Centre for Cross Border Studies Funder EPIC Futures NI is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), Innovate UK and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).