Locals hail programme that helps unemployed

A COMMUNITY programme that tackles social disadvantage on the Southside is helping the unemployed to gain valuable work experience at local non-profit organisations.

In 2011, as part of a multi-stranded approach to address the unemployment crisis in the country, the Department of Social Protection appointed partnership companies to deliver the Tús Community Work Placement Programme.

The department randomly selects people from the live register and offers them the opportunity to take part in the scheme.

The Southside Partnership is the local development company in the Dun Laoghaire Rathdown area with a statutory obligation to address socio-economic disadvantage in the county.

With the implementation of the Tús programme, Southside Partnership DLR, based in Blackrock, has exceeded its target by getting 182 social welfare recipients into part-time positions.

Participants are placed in community and voluntary sector organisations, which should be able to demonstrate a track record of working with or providing services to their communities.

Tús aims to provide quality work placements for participants as a valuable way of gaining or updating their experience of the workplace, through learning new skills and returning to the routine of work.

The placements last for one year, and Southside Partnership works to match the participants to the requirements of the organisations. Where possible, work placement is found in the local community where participants live.

Pat Hooper (65), a qualified mechanic from Dundrum, had been unemployed for almost four years before he began working in the Tús scheme in May 2012.

Pat said his new position as a driver for Richmond Cheshire Homes has motivated him to learn new skills.

“Although I am a qualified mechanic, it’s hard to find work at my age,

? he said.

“I don’t want to stop working. I’m still fit and healthy with a great positive attitude towards life. It’s great to be able to give back to the community while I’m looking for work

“I work 19-and-a-half hours per week driving people with disabilities to hospital appointments,

? he added.

“I love having a purpose to get up in the morning, as being unemployed really knocks your confidence and it’s great to be around such wonderful people. My only wish is that the Tús programme would run for more than one year. I’m hoping to secure employment before I have to go back to Social Welfare payments.

?

There are currently some 6,953 people signing on the Live Register at Dun Laoghaire social welfare office and 4,823 at Rathfarnham.

Marie Carroll, the CEO of Southside Partnership, said it wants to reach out to these people and let them know there are free services and supports available to help them gain employment.

Southside Partnership has five different Local Employment Service outreach offices around the DLR area, offering free services such as CV preparation, career guidance and one-to-one support, as well as a number of other services. It also offers free advice for unemployed people wanting to start their own businesses.

Ms Carroll said that so far 18 people have progressed from the Tús initiative to education, two have moved on to start their own business and 14 have moved on into employment.

Ms Carroll added:

“The Tús scheme has been a great success. Not only for the participants of the programme but also for the community groups and organisations themselves.

“With all the cutbacks, non-profit organisations are finding it increasingly difficult to keep their services going and the community would have suffered if it wasn’t for the support of the Tús programme.

“

To discuss the potential for Tús work placements in your organisation, contact Marian White on 01-7060100 or [email protected]