Community Employment provides a unique opportunity to participants to develop their skills and abilities while undertaking valuable work in a community setting.
The Community Employment scheme is ideal for the long term unemployed who are out of the workforce for over 12 months and are looking to develop their skill set and build up their self confidence through returning to regular employment. The Community Employment Scheme offers a pathway to employment for people who have lost their jobs and need to retrain in order to re enter the workforce. Our current scheme employs Twenty-eight participants who work across the communities of Dromtarriffe, Rathcoole, Boherbue, Ballydaly, Kilcorney, Banteer, Lyre, Newmarket, Duhallow Revamp and the Duhallow Community Laundry.
The main aim of the Community Employment Scheme is to enhance the employability of disadvantaged and long term unemployed people by providing opportunities for them to engage in useful temporary work within their communities while they prepare to return to mainstream employment. The scheme aids participants regain their confidence in themselves and their ability to work. A secondary function of the Community Employment Scheme is to provide much needed resources for local villages and their facilities.
Training and retraining is a key focus of the IRD Duhallow community employment scheme. However due to the cut-backs in the training budget the DSP will only part fund accredited training courses which have a FETAC, City and Guilds or other Certificate qualifications only and the participant would also have to make a contribution towards the course fees.
IRD Duhallow strives to identify the needs of local employers in order to focus training in areas where real job opportunities exist locally and this is facilitated through the IRD Duhallow Job Centre. The supervisor works closely with each participant in developing a specific training plan tailored to their individual needs.
Over the past year participants took part in 1st Year Accounting Technician, ITEC Diploma Physical Education, Child Health and Wellbeing, Back to Return Education, Train the Trainer, Manual Handling, Bookkeeping, Accounting / Bookkeeping computer software sage, Safe pass, Interview skills, CV preparation courses.
Training examples from past participants who have been on IRD Duhallow Community Employment Scheme include:
- 1st Year Accounting
- Physical Education
- Child health and Well Being
- Train the Trainer
- Manual Handling
- Bookkeeping/Accounting Software Sage
- Interview Skills
- CV Preparation Skills
- Forklift
- Occupational First Aid
- ECDL
- Sewing
- Childcare FETAC Level 5
- Rigid Truck Driving lessons
The eligibility for coming onto the C.E. Scheme is that you must be receiving a Social Welfare payment from one of the following:
- Invalidity Pension
- Disability Benefit
- Lone Parents
- Job Seekers Allowance
You must be also over 25 years old and unemployed for more than 12 months, however there are exceptions where you could come on earlier, to find this out contact your local FAS office or see the FAS website by clicking here http://www.fas.ie/en/communities/community+employment/default.htm
IRD Duhallow CE Scheme will be recruiting new participants in the coming months. If you are receiving Social Welfare Payment and over 25 years old, unemployed 12 months or more or on a disability payment 6 months or more you may be eligible to apply for future vacancies in the CE Scheme. If you match the above criteria please visit www.jobsireland.ie for upcoming vacancies.
