National internship scheme and discrimination against lone parents

bobie

Hi, does anyone else feel that that jobs initiative proposed by the government recently is discrimination towards lone parents. I am claiming OPFP since I was left in the position of raring children alone. During this time I felt it would be a good idea to go back to education which I did and graduated last year with an honours degree in Industrial Biology. Since the I have applied for numerous jobs but with no success as I have not got experience.
I was hopeful when I heard of the new jobsbridge internship scheme. I looked at the site and there was numerous job positions that would suit my qualifications. When I looked into the elegibility for the scheme I was told that I had to be on jobseekers allowance or jobseekers benefit.

I know people that have been on the dole for 20 year and have never worked and don't want to yet they are entitled to go on an Internship scheme and I can't, even though I have worked for over 25 year and have studied hard for 5 years to gain my degree.

I also believe that the new TUS scheme is similar in that you have to be signing on.

Does anyone else feel as angry as I do on this matter?

Mrs OBumble

The time-claiming requirement is to make sure that the people who get on the schemes wouldn't have just been hired anyway.

Since you're claiming OPF, you aren't required to be available for work to get it. There is nothing stopping your from companies and offering to work for free for them, without their having to go through the hassle of signing you up for WPP etc.

cee_jay

One Parent Family payment is a support payment for those left in difficult circumstances of raising children on their own.
Jobseeker's Benefit and Allowance are payments for Jobseekers - therefore I think it is correct that these initiatives are targeted at Jobseeker's only. While on OFP you do not need to be looking for work.
If you wish to qualify for these initiatives, and are looking for work, you can switch your payment to Jobseeker's - check at your local office regarding this.

bobie

Ya I understand what your saying, its just that it is kind of frustrating after all the work I have put in, and its not like i'm not trying to find work, I am trying really hard,
I am entitled to do the WPP, but they are a dead loss, they don't even give you travelling allowance, i couldn't do that, it just wouldn't be feasible.
The Internship scheme is aimed towards graduates which I am and a lot of the positions are really good with a good chance of employment at the end of it and you also get 50 euro extra so travelling expenses would be sorted.
I think I will take cee_jays advice and switch my payment to jobseekers allowance, I don't think there is much difference in the payment anyway, I will have to wait 3 months before I can apply for an internship but it might be worth it in the long run.

tenchi-fan

Perhaps you should investigate switching from OPFP to JSA and see how you get on?
edit: oops - see that has already been suggested.

Basically, if you have this option and you choose to stay on OPFP, it's not discrimination as it's your own choice. In fact, surely the government is discriminating against non-OPFs by excluding them from the extra payment.

Weigh up the advantages and disadvantages.

AnnyHallsal

bobie wrote: »

Ya I understand what your saying, its just that it is kind of frustrating after all the work I have put in, and its not like i'm not trying to find work, I am trying really hard,
I am entitled to do the WPP, but they are a dead loss, they don't even give you travelling allowance, i couldn't do that, it just wouldn't be feasible.
The Internship scheme is aimed towards graduates which I am and a lot of the positions are really good with a good chance of employment at the end of it and you also get 50 euro extra so travelling expenses would be sorted.
I think I will take cee_jays advice and switch my payment to jobseekers allowance, I don't think there is much difference in the payment anyway, I will have to wait 3 months before I can apply for an internship but it might be worth it in the long run.

As far as I'm aware, this doesn't apply with JobBridge, Once you're in receipt of a JS payment you can apply.

bobie

You have to be on jobseekers allowance or benefit for 3 months or more to be eligible to take part in the jobridge scheme, in three months the jobs will be well gone,
Anyone on the scheme gets the extra 50 euro, so they are not discriminating against Non-OPF.
The government are basically forcing people to go off OPFP and go on the dole, well if thats there initiative I guess I will have to go with the flow. I don't benefit from been on OPFP anyway,
I also applied for a Fas CE scheme and had the position only to be told before I started that there was a freeze on it, thats because the CE chemes are going to be passed on to the new TUS scheme, again those on the dole.

THE FOLLOWING IS TAKEN FROM THE JObBRIDGE WEBSITE

In order to be eligible to participate in JobBridge – the National Internship Scheme an
individual must be:
• Currently in receipt of a live claim (Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers
Benefit/Signing for Credits) on the Live Register
• And have been in receipt of Jobseekers Benefit, Jobseekers Allowance or signing for
Social Insurance Contribution Credits for a total of 3 months or more in the last 6
months.
This means that periods spent on Back to Education Allowance, VTOS, FÁS/Fáilte Ireland
Training courses, Youthreach, FIT, Community Employment Schemes, Social Economy
Programme, Rural Social Scheme, Back to Work Scheme, FÁS Job Initiative or Job Assist do
not count towards meeting the eligibility of JobBridge.
Commencement on the internship is dependant on DSP confirming the individual’s eligibility

AnnyHallsal

bobie wrote: »

You have to be on jobseekers allowance or benefit for 3 months or more to be eligible to take part in the jobridge scheme.

My apologies and thanks for the clarification.

I was told my someone offering an internship that exceptions to the rules can be made. Perhaps you could discuss this with FAS, if you have not done so already?

elc72

I'm really annoyed to hear this, im in an internship since may for free and getting no allowance my boss offered me the internship TODAYthrough fas so I could gain an extra 50 euro a week AND so i could entend my internship frm sept to xmas looks like now im going to hav to finish up in Sept i cant afford not to do it any longer with the extra funds...... I like you have worked my a** off in college and couldnt get a job without experience even thought there not much work in interior architect anyways....... ave you spoke to your local welfare officer about this? ... there has to be ways around this.. why dont they incourage ways for lone parents to get off opf.. its not like we all one to be on it but what choice do we have...Its a joke

bobie

Hi elc72, replying back late sorry, haven't been on for a while. To answer your question way around getting an internship while on OPF, no way around it, spoke to the social welfare officer. Could change over to Jobseekers but have to wait 3 months, so he advised against it. He said that the Jobbsridge scheme is been reviewed and may collapse. Companys are exploiting it by laying people off and employing people for free on one of these schemes either Jobbsbridge or Fas WPP.
I think if they brought out a scheme so that everyone was eligible and only paid half the wages to the companys more reliable and honest companys would sign up, but that's just my view.