Background
Youth Work Ireland: North Connaught is in partnership with the Department of Social Protection have been sponsoring a Community Employment Project for the past twenty five years. Currently we employ 43 participants who work as Caretakers, Administration Assistants, Information Assistants, Cleaners, Kitchen Assistant, Childcare Assistants and Support Workers. The scope of our CE Project covers workers in the Youth Information Centre, Youth Action Project Sligo, Citizen’s Information Centre, Cosy Cats Childcare, The Base Cafe Drumshanbo, The Junction Ballinamore, Sligo Neurology Support Centre, Sligo Northside Community Partnership and Sligo Family Rescource Centre, The Mall, Sligo.
Aim
Community Employment is an employment and training programme which helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to work routine. The programme assists them to enhance and develop both their technical and personal skills which can then be used in the workplace.
The CE programme is sponsored by groups wishing to benefit the local community, namely voluntary organisations and public bodies involved in not-for-profit activities. Having a Community Employment Scheme enabled the work carried out by our Youth and Community services to be maintained, developed and expanded. Participants work a 19½ hour week (or 39 hour fortnight) and while on community employment can avail of training which will help them find employment when their time on CE ends.
The training provided through Community Employment is delivered within a Quality Assurance framework which enables participants to obtain FETAC awards and qualifications which can lead to major awards on the National Framework of Qualifications.
Examples of training undertaken while in employment with NCYCS are: