Where do I stand in all this :(

Bonito

hi, i'm 18 and finished school, i WAS in college in dundalk IT studying computers and software development, but I had to leave because my grant never came through and I was spending all my savings on college, to this date A LOT of my class STILL have not yet received their grant, basically I am not in full time education, I have worked with my Dad ever since I was about 11 or 12, NOW, as reluctant as I am to sign on to the dole because I haven't really had a PROPER job and paid taxes I don't see why I should be spending all my savings. I have car payments and rent over my head so what am I to do? It's not MY fault I didn't recieve my grant so why should Mr.Cowen get my years and years of savings? I have applied to An Garda Síochana because this is a career I WANT to pursue, but obviously due to cuts there is a freeze of employmeny in place. So basically what do I do? Am I entitled to the dole or what? I know there is a stigma about being on the dole and that is doubled for me as I haven't really had a full time job, but I don't want to be spending my years of savings either, as much as this country is in trouble I am not a main cause of it, but at the same time I don't want to be one of those people who are merely sponging from the government for the sake of it. I have looked for jobs, so what do I do? Keep looking for work while my savings dwindle in to nothing or do I go on the dole while I continue my search for work?

I honestly don't know what to do, I don't feel entitled to the dole but at the same time I don't want to spend all of my years of savings

seanybiker

Your not old enough to join the guards. I thought they changed it to between 23 and 35. I think

Bonito

seanybiker wrote: »

Your not old enough to join the guards. I thought they changed it to between 23 and 35. I think

No once you're 18 and qualified you can apply. They SUGGEST waiting til an older age but that clearly is not an option for me as I am putting myself in to debt due to not being able to find work.

moretothegirl

i might not be able to give you too much info, but i def reccommend just goin into the local office to see if you are entitled to anything.

i live at home with parents and have a job but its only part time job, just outta college. i wasnt sure if i was entitled so i went in, gave all my details, i was totally honest with everything because i just basically said if im entitled then id b a fool not to claim, if im not entitled then thats okay.

turned out i was entitled so im deligted. u shud do the same, it would be terrible to be struggling away if your entitled to some help. dont worry bout not having paid taxes. i hadn really ever paid much either , at the end of the day the service is there to help people in all situations. you will go on to pay taxes in the future so dont feel bad about it .

Bonito, if you sign on a year from now after having spent all your savings, when you go down to Welfare you'll get a bllocking and a lot more paperwork for taking so long to go down. You're not in education, you're not working and you're not signed on with Welfare. You're pretty much off the map as far as they're concerned and they'll want to know why, how and where you disappeared to.

You'll be causing yourself heartache.


If you're entitled to anything, then take it. Never mind the state the country is in. Look out for yourself above all others and make sure you go down and claim whatever they'll give you.


Besides, you're 18. You'll only be getting €100 per week anyway. It's not something you can live on.

I'd also recommend doing some FAS courses if you can. Even if you don't want to do them. The job market is bleak and at least you'll have something on your CV that shows you did something when so many others are doing nothing.


I'd probably also scrap the car unless you absolutely need it. They can turn out to be financially crippling. Seen as you have a driver's license though, you can always get FAS to pay for lessons in driving Rigid lorries (probably not something you're interested in now, but opens up opportunities down the road).


Anyway, to get back on topic, you might be entitled to nothing, but I'd definitely go down and see. And whatever you're entitled to, take it.

Bonito

I have the car for sale as it is, tbh I can't drop the price anymore or I may aswel give it away, definitely considering a fás course and doing the rigid lorry lessons sounds like a good idea too.Should I go to my local citizen information office 1st or go to the welfare office?

I'd go straight to welfare if i was you. There's no point in talking to Citizens info if you're gonna go to welfare anyway.

They'll both give you the same information, except welfare can actually act on it and sort a claim out for you.

When I last signed on (about a month ago) they had introduced a system wherein you go in and take a ticket with your number, approach the desk and tell them yuo want to sign on, and they schedule an appointment for you for the following day (or during the week, depending how busy they are I suppose) and then they take your stuff off you and process your claim.

I'm in Drogheda, so I don't know if thats being done everywhere, but just in case, be prepared to go down twice (although the good thing is that your claim is processed within the week, which is the fastest its ever been for me, so its a good idea).


My brother is doing the Rigid license at the moment. As far as I'm aware, it's marked as a 10 week course. However, you go in on the first week and sit in a class for three hours, learning the theory side of rigid lorries. Then you are able to schedule 10 driving lessons whenever you like, provided it is within the ten week time frame the course has been allocated (it's worth noting they don't actually pay for the test though, just the lessons, so it's not everything you could ever need, but its a step towards accomplishing something).


Also, i think (though im really unsure of this) that if you attend a FAS course, you get the full €204 per week for the duration of the course. I'm open to correction on that one though.

Make sure you are registered with FAS though, and if you're not, register with them (Welfare will ask you this most of the time, and will usually send you over to FAS to register with them if you're not already).


I think you can also get FAS to pay for you to get a security cert. I kno a guy who has his one form a group called "The Private Security Authority". It needs to be renewed every year or two i think, and Im aware it wouldnt directly help you out, but if you were going to try AGS, it probably wouldnt look bad to show that you have a genuine interest in that kind of area of work (protecting the public, guarding and are capable of static security guarding and have certs to say you're able to do it properly).


I'm not sure what AGS look for in people, but like i say, it couldn't hurt.

Bonito

Im in balbriggan, so ill have to head to coolock to sign on, obv they'll tell me what I'll need to bring to the next appointment?

Yeah, they'll tell you, but just incase they don't have the same "appointment" system, bring a passport/drivers license (any form or photo ID you may have), a utility bill from your house and a letter from your parents saying you live with them (if that is the case). You'll also need to fill out a form, think it's called an F103, but I'm not sure. Regardless, you'll get that at the welfare office anyway. You'll also need your PPS number if you have it, but they can always look it up, so it's not essential.


It's handy if you can fill out the form whilst you are waiting, as it will make your time talking to them a little shorter. It just asks for general details, but it has a section where it asks who is living with you, what their income is, if they're claiming a welfare payment too, etc.

Nothing too in-depth, but it takes a few minutes to get it done. You should be fine though. Signing on isn't difficult or anything, and you don't get interrogated as some people seem to think. It's just a lot of hassle is all.

You'll be grand.

Bonito

right i'll get that sorted next week, cheers for all the info