Minister Calleary welcomes announcement of details of new initiatives for the unemployed
Minister for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary T.D. today (Wednesday 27th May 2009) welcomed the announcement of the details of the Work Placement Programme and a pilot Short Time Working Training Programme. Both of these activation programmes, which are aimed at assisting the unemployed and those on a reduced working week, were contained in last month’s Supplementary Budget.
Minister Calleary said: “these new programmes are in addition to the 128,000 training and activation places for the unemployed already announced this year. This is a substantial increase on the approximate 66,000 places taken up last year and reflects the importance that the Government places in ensuring that that every effort is made to keep jobseekers motivated, appropriately skilled and as close to the labour market as possible. The majority of these additional places are being provided under FÁS Training Initiatives Strategy and are short courses”.
The Work Placement Programme is a six-month work experience programme for an initial 2,000 individuals who are currently unemployed. Under this programme there will be two streams each consisting of an initial 1,000 places. The first stream is for graduates who before this year have attained a full award at level 7 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications and who have been receiving Job Seeker’s Allowance for the last six months.
The second stream will be open to all other individuals who have been receiving Job Seeker’s Allowance for the last six months. Under this stream 250 places are being ring fenced for those under 25 years of age.
Participants on both streams of the Work Placement Programme will continue to receive their existing social welfare entitlements from the Department of Social and Family Affairs for their duration on the programme.
The pilot Short Time Working Training Programme will provide two days training a week for 277 workers over a 52-week period. Under this scheme, workers who are on systematic short time working for 3-days a week and receiving social welfare payments for the two days they are not working will receive training for these two days. Participants on this programme will continue to receive their existing social welfare entitlements from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
Minister Calleary confirmed that from the 2nd June FÁS local offices will be taking applications from people who are interested in either the Work Placement Programme or the Short Time WorkingTraining Programme with a view to placing them or commencing their training within a period of weeks.
“I would encourage those who meet the eligibility criteria for these programmes to take the chance to use their skills or up skill themselves so that they are best placed to avail of the opportunities that will arise in the future upturn of our economy”, Minister Calleary concluded.
ENDS/LA325
Note for Editors:
The details of the new activation programmes are as follows:
WORK PLACEMENT PROGRAMME
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STREAM 1:GRADUATES (1,000 PLACES, SIX-MONTH DURATION)
- Graduates must have graduated before 2009.
- Graduates must have attained a full award at level 7 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications.
- Graduates must be on the Live Register for a period of at least 6 months and in receipt of Job Seeker’s Allowance, from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
- The placement will be for a six-month period.
- FÁS will administer the Programme.
- Local FÁS offices will be the first point of contact for those interested in the Programme.
- FÁS will allocate a number of places to each FÁS Region having regard to the size of the Live Register in that Region. Each Region will then allocate places on ‘first in first served’ basis within their own allocation.
- FÁS will refer all potential participants to providers.
- On referral from FÁS, the provider of the work experience may interview potential participants.
- DSFA will continue to pay social welfare entitlements to participants on the Programme.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR STREAM 2:(1,000 PLACES, SIX-MONTH DURATION):
- Participants must be on the Live Register for a period of at least 6 months and in receipt of Job Seeker’s Allowance, from the Department of Social and Family Affairs.
- This stream will be open to all individuals who do not possess a full award at level 7 or above on the National Framework of Qualifications.
- 250 places will be ring-fenced for under 25’s.
- The placement will be for a six-month period.
- FÁS will administer the Programme.
- FÁS will allocate a number of places to each FÁS Region having regard to the size of the Live Register in that Region. Each Region will then allocate places on ‘first in first served’ basis within their own allocation
- Local FÁS offices will be the first point of contact for those interested in the Programme.
- FÁS will refer all potential participants to providers.
- On referral from FÁS, the provider of the work experience may interview potential participants.
- DSFA will continue to pay social welfare entitlements to participants on the Programme.
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR SELECTION:PROVIDERS
- The Programme will be open to both public and private sector employers.
- The maximum number of placements with a single provider shall be 10 or 10% of their workforce whichever is the smaller.
- The placement will be for a six-month period.
- Prospective providers shall register with FÁS.
- On referral from FÁS, the provider of the work experience may interview potential participants.
- The placement will not be provided to fill an existing vacancy
- The placement will not be provided to displace an existing employee
MONITORING:
- FÁS will design and implement a monitoring system.
- A Review Group will be established to review the Programme.
SHORT TIME WORKING TRAINING PROGRAMME
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:277 PLACES OVER A 52-WEEK PERIOD
- There will be 277 places available.
- Each placement will be for a period of 52 weeks.
- FÁS will administer the Programme.
- FÁS will offer flexible learning to individuals to enable them complete courses should they go back full time.
- Local FÁS offices will be the first point of contact for those interested in the Programme.
- FÁS will be the initial provider of training.
- The Programme will be limited to people currently on systematic short time and in receipt of social welfare payments.
- DSFA will continue to pay participants social welfare entitlements whilst receiving training whilst on systematic short time working.
ENDS
Last modified: 27/05/2009
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