STATEMENT BY JOAN BURTON

Minister for Social Protection

Labour TD, Dublin West

Friday, 18th January 2013

DETAILS OF ADDITIONAL 2,000 PLACES ON EXTENSION OF COMMUNITY EMPLOYMENT PROGRAMME OUTLINED – BURTON

The Minister for Social Protection, Joan Burton T.D., has today (18 January 2013) published details of the allocation of 2,000 additional places on the Community Employment programme.

This will bring the total number of Community Employment places this year to 25,300 as part of the Department’s wider efforts to help jobseekers to become employment-ready and find a job, training or educational opportunity.

Minister Burton said: “Community Employment plays a vital role for both jobseekers and their communities. It provides work experience, including appropriate training, for jobseekers which helps them to take up work on the open labour market by developing their skills, experience and confidence. It is also of immense benefit to the local communities.

“In Budget 2013, I secured an extra €11 million in funding for 10,000 additional activation places this year, including 2,000 additional Community Employment places.

“I am delighted to give further details today of how these Community Employment places will be allocated following intensive work by my Department on this issue,” the Minister added.

“The Department will spend more than €1 billion on activation programmes and other supports this year to help jobseekers acquire the work experience, skills and qualifications they need to return to full-time employment.”

The additional places will target specifically the growing number of long-term unemployed as well other welfare claimants who are over a year in receipt of payments. They will be allocated on a phased basis. It is proposed that allocations will be informed by:

· Priority will be given to schemes and organisations who are involved in the delivery of community childcare services, and social and healthcare services for people with a disability. This is in order to support the provision of these services and offer training qualifications and work experience to CE participants. An allocation of 500 additional places will be reserved for childcare support and 500 places for social and health-related services.
· Priority will be given to applicants who are involved in Drug Rehabilitation Services and who consider participation on CE to be a further step in this process. Additional CE places will be made available to respond to new proposals.
· Innovation, new approaches and models of delivery from organisations will be encouraged and supported. Up to 100 places will be reserved for such proposals.
· The balance of places will be made available to schemes who can demonstrate a clear justification on the basis of quality of service and performance.
· For all applications, priority will be given to schemes and organisations who can demonstrate a track record in the development and progression of participants into employment.

Application Process for Additional CE Places:

Existing CE schemes can apply for additional places in the normal way by applying to their local Department of Social Protection office. This can be done at roll-over of the scheme. Schemes that are in mid-term can also make a submission to their local office. Schemes can contact their local Social Protection office for further detail.

Application Process for Innovatory Projects:

There is a separate application process for Innovatory Projects, which will commence from February 4 onwards. Schemes can contact their local Social Protection office for further detail.

Background:

Budget 2013:
Minister Burton secured additional funding of €11 million for 10,000 additional places this year, broken down as follows: JobBridge (2,500 new places), Tús (2,500), CE (2,000), and a new Local Authority Social Employment Scheme (3,000).

About Community Employment:
The Community Employment Programme is an active labour market programme to support unemployed people re-enter the workforce. It is the largest active labour market intervention in Ireland. Its aim is to enhance the employability and mobility of disadvantaged and unemployed persons by providing work experience and training opportunities within their communities. Community and voluntary organisations sponsor local/community projects that satisfy two essential criteria – that they respond to an identified community need, and that they provide training/development opportunities for participants.

Expenditure on activation schemes and employment supports this year: