Internship and One Parent Family

Polala

Hi everyone.
Im unemployed since March this year, in June I started course with Fas which is coming to an end. Im getting One Parent Family Payment since March, before I had too high earnings to qualify for anything.
Last week I got invitation for an interview for internship and this morning I went to social welfare to confirm am I eligible for Internship after Fas course bcoz they didnt say this clear enough on jobbridge website.
They had a big problem to give me a clear answer, but anyway I got the answer that yes I can start internship after Fas, but I will have to close my one parent claim... And this part I dont uderstand...
Internship its your jobseeker benefit plus 50 euro... I thought that they r gonna reduce OPF but I have to close my claim.... Im looking for a job all the time I see some chance in this internship but how they think you can survive for 250 pw as a single parent? I was 100% sure that I can keep some part of OPF bcoz I wont get earnings more than 425 euro....
If you have any experience or know somebody in similar situation will be great if you will share, bcoz Im really confused after today...
Thanks!

cee_jay

Are you claiming Jobseeker's with your One Parent Family? Or just One Parent Family by itself?

PinkFly

cee_jay wrote: »

Are you claiming Jobseeker's with your One Parent Family? Or just One Parent Family by itself?

can you claim both?

Balagan

On the JobBridge website, it states the following

4. I am currently in receipt of One Parent Family Payment am I eligible for
JobBridge?
Individuals in receipt of One Parent Family Payment are ineligible to participate in
JobBridge even if they are also receiving half rate Jobseekers Benefit

http://www.jobbridge.ie/toolkit/faqintern.pdf

Polala

I applied for two of them-JB and OPF when I lost job- as my social officer advised me. The rule is that you can get one full payment plus half of the second. So my question is while when you are on JB you can or could(make the rules changed and I dont know?) keep half of your OPF and with internship you cant.... Im not goin into a relationship with internship so Im still lonely parent... How is that make sense?

Balagan

Polala wrote: »

I applied for two of them-JB and OPF when I lost job- as my social officer advised me. The rule is that you can get one full payment plus half of the second. So my question is while when you are on JB you can or could(make the rules changed and I dont know?) keep half of your OPF and with internship you cant.... Im not goin into a relationship with internship so Im still lonely parent... How is that make sense?

As mentioned in post No. 4 above, those on One Parent Family payments are not eligible for JobBridge internships, even if they are also receiving half rate Jobseekers Benefit. When you are on a One Parent Family payment you are not on the Live Register.

To be eligible for a place as an intern you must be on Live Register and currently in receipt of
Jobseekers Benefit, or
Jobseekers Allowance
or signing for Social Insurance Contribution Credits for 3 months (78 days) or more in the last 6 months. http://www.jobbridge.ie/InternEligible.aspx

Polala

I know what u saying Balagan but u don't get my point.... I was before on the Jobseeker Benefit and also was getting One Parent Payment.Since June I'm getting Fas Training Allowance plus OPF.
My question is not about am I eligible for internship from Jobbridge bcoz I know that I am, but my question is how all the time I can have 2 payments and now when I wanna go for internship they say to me that I need to close my OPF. I just don't see te logic here bcoz while being on JB and Fas training allowance you can get two of them but with internship you can't.Why? How you can pay everything from 250 euro ow that's my question.... Or it's just that they don't want lone parents? Thats what I'm trying understand bcoz when Il take an internship my income will be 250 but I'm still lonely parent and the rule to get OPF it's ur earnings has to be under 425 euro.So should I close OPF to back on JB after Fas and then apply again for OPF? Do u get me now?
I'm gonna go to my social officer Wednesday morning bcoz I need to sort this out. It's so many internships advertised why they can't be normal jobs.... I really can't find a job and Im trying to do everything to not stay at home that's why I started Fas course and now I see some opportunity in internship but how to afford this.....

bobie

Polala wrote: »

Hi everyone.
Im unemployed since March this year, in June I started course with Fas which is coming to an end. Im getting One Parent Family Payment since March, before I had too high earnings to qualify for anything.
Last week I got invitation for an interview for internship and this morning I went to social welfare to confirm am I eligible for Internship after Fas course bcoz they didnt say this clear enough on jobbridge website.
They had a big problem to give me a clear answer, but anyway I got the answer that yes I can start internship after Fas, but I will have to close my one parent claim... And this part I dont uderstand...
Internship its your jobseeker benefit plus 50 euro... I thought that they r gonna reduce OPF but I have to close my claim.... Im looking for a job all the time I see some chance in this internship but how they think you can survive for 250 pw as a single parent? I was 100% sure that I can keep some part of OPF bcoz I wont get earnings more than 425 euro....
If you have any experience or know somebody in similar situation will be great if you will share, bcoz Im really confused after today...
Thanks!

Polala ;
I am sorry I didn;t respond to your message earlier but I havn't been on Boards.ie for a while, I hope things are working out for you,
With regards to the internship scheme I gave up on it, they told me you would have to be on Jobseekers for at least 3 months so You would have to sign off opfp and go on job seekers with the hopes of getting an internship, so it would only be a gamble. If you sign off opfp it is quiet difficult to get back on to it.
I applied for a few jobs and was lucky enough to get a part time job working for a cleaning company. It wasn't exactly where i expected to be working after completing an Honours degree in industrial biology but the state were not prepared to give me a chance to carry on my college qualifications with an internship. At least I can hold on to my opfp and most of what I earn from the part time job. The bills have to be paid after all. They have also cut the extra payment if you do a fas course now so that wasn't an option either.
Anyway I hope things work out for you, catch you later,
Bobie,