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Been 'selected' to attend a group engagement session...

  • 24-06-2013 2:51pm
    #1
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭


    Received a letter from the Social Welfare lot today telling me to attend a "group engagement session with other jobseekers" next week.

    I've only been receiving JSA for a few weeks and haven't even had my first sign-on date yet. I thought these were reserved for long-term claimants?

    What can I expect? Some sort of patronising CV workshop and some other advice modelled around the theory that the only reason I don't have a job is because I'm too thick to find one? Maybe if they stopped allowing businesses to 'hire' people for free on this JobBridge €4.85 an hour bollocks I'd have a better time of it :rolleyes:


Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,168 ✭✭✭Balagan


    These sessions are not reserved for 'long term claimants'. You can expect to be with a group of other jobseekers and to be given information and yes, you will be offered help with CV etc. You will be treated with respect and will not be demeaned, humiliated or treated condescendingly. The group gathering is usually followed up by a one on one.


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭NoPasaran


    Is there any way of getting out of it? There are literally no jobs that do not ask for several years experience, and the only way to get the experience is an intership and I'm not allowed do one until I've sat on my arse for three months taking the dole.

    Unless they can tell me how to cheat this ludicrous system, or if they want to offer me some fake references then I don't see how they can help.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,168 ✭✭✭Balagan


    Trying to avoid it will raise a flag and best to avoid that. Just go and keep a cool head. If you are planning JobBridge then while waiting to be eligible maybe try to seek out some voluntary work in a field you are interested in. Have a read of this to see the kind of voluntary work which can be undertaken while on JA. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/voluntary_work_and_social_welfare_payments.html


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭NoPasaran


    Balagan wrote: »
    Trying to avoid it will raise a flag and best to avoid that. Just go and keep a cool head. If you are planning JobBridge then while waiting to be eligible maybe try to seek out some voluntary work in a field you are interested in. Have a read of this to see the kind of voluntary work which can be undertaken while on JA. http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/voluntary_work_and_social_welfare_payments.html
    Cheers will take a look. Maybe if I did some totally unpaid work first then the <€5 an hour Job Bridge stuff might feel less like the criminal exploitation of workers that it is ;)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 264 ✭✭eejoynt


    If you are a student in NUIG you should not be called for tus .......


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,438 ✭✭✭Crazyteacher


    Really, I have an MSc and i've been called for the group engagement session and tús?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 264 ✭✭eejoynt


    Sorry for lack of clarity, crazyteacher
    OP is posting about being called for a group engagement session, but at the same time posting about student life in nuig and the pressures of study:confused:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,073 ✭✭✭jos22


    Balagan wrote: »
    These sessions are not reserved for 'long term claimants'. You can expect to be with a group of other jobseekers and to be given information and yes, you will be offered help with CV etc. You will be treated with respect and will not be demeaned, humiliated or treated condescendingly. The group gathering is usually followed up by a one on one.

    Yes I got one from fas before. there was about 20 in the group job clubs schemes , covering job seeking , cover letters , cvs , networking etc.

    they used to do test run interviews with the group too, ( if people wanted to do this part in private it was arranged)

    first day there was about 60 people there. It was being tested on US before being rolled out to other area. scheme was voluntary at first, they told us that if we refused the scheme it would have no effect on JSA.

    but after only 60 out 500 invited showing up day one and only 20 of that 60 accepting the offer to take part in the scheme. I guess the decided to make it mandatory if invited


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭NoPasaran


    eejoynt wrote: »
    Sorry for lack of clarity, crazyteacher
    OP is posting about being called for a group engagement session, but at the same time posting about student life in nuig and the pressures of study:confused:
    Super work detective, what's your point?
    jos22 wrote: »
    Yes I got one from fas before. there was about 20 in the group job clubs schemes , covering job seeking , cover letters , cvs , networking etc.
    I see. In for a treat so :rolleyes: every job interview I've had in the past has been successful, I know how to write a cover letter and a CV the issue is more that every single job (that isn't a complete scam i.e. most of the "sales" jobs) demands 3-5 years experience.

    Do you remember how long it went on for?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,073 ✭✭✭jos22


    NoPasaran wrote: »
    Super work detective, what's your point?


    I see. In for a treat so :rolleyes: every job interview I've had in the past has been successful, I know how to write a cover letter and a CV the issue is more that every single job (that isn't a complete scam i.e. most of the "sales" jobs) demands 3-5 years experience.

    Do you remember how long it went on for?

    8 days doing 2 full days a week over a month.( if one of those days is your signing day, u need to call the dole office and arrange to sign on day late) they were long boring days I tell you. my job bridge mentor said CVs from them are utter crap and did a proper one up for me,

    they also made do these kinda of test like multi choice and the grades from each section suspose to tell you if your say a people person a good trouble shooter etc.


    3 hours one day was spent showing people how to set up linkedin
    and how it was important to have all lower case in the domain name:rolleyes:

    agency are great for those fake jobs,

    only good thing that job club did was tell those that didnt already know to avoid agency and HR both are useless


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  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭NoPasaran


    jos22 wrote: »
    only good thing that job club did was tell those that didnt already know to avoid agency and HR both are useless
    At least they were honest. I would have expected them to be all 'ah wouldja look, there's PLENTY of jobs' while showing you a list of "commission based" door to door sales 'opportunities'


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,073 ✭✭✭jos22


    NoPasaran wrote: »
    At least they were honest. I would have expected them to be all 'ah wouldja look, there's PLENTY of jobs' while showing you a list of "commission based" door to door sales 'opportunities'

    they also told us that some companies advertised and interview for jobs that do not exist, to make it appear the company is doing well enough to need to more staff


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭NoPasaran


    Um so I went in, they sat us down and some lady showed us a slideshow that was basically explaining all the other benefits you can claim off the government (apparently if you're on the dole for 12 months you can get this 'back to work' thing where you can carry on signing on for 2 years after you get a job... what the f**k?!). They then gave us appointments for a 1 on 1 meeting thing somewhere next week. Took <15 mins in total but still managed to be even more of a waste of time than I expected.

    The irony of the situation is that the 'information' given to us could easily have been posted out instead of the original letter, along with our appointment times, but this method was obviously chosen to somebody could get paid for showing the presentation.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,168 ✭✭✭Balagan


    NoPasaran wrote: »
    Um so I went in, they sat us down and some lady showed us a slideshow that was basically explaining all the other benefits you can claim off the government (apparently if you're on the dole for 12 months you can get this 'back to work' thing where you can carry on signing on for 2 years after you get a job... what the f**k?!). They then gave us appointments for a 1 on 1 meeting thing somewhere next week. Took <15 mins in total but still managed to be even more of a waste of time than I expected.

    The irony of the situation is that the 'information' given to us could easily have been posted out instead of the original letter, along with our appointment times, but this method was obviously chosen to somebody could get paid for showing the presentation.

    What you are incorrectly summarizing are the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance and, for the sake of clarity for those interested, and many avail of them to get back on their feet, here are the correct details:

    The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to become self-employed. If you take part in the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme (pdf) you can keep a percentage of your social welfare payment for up to 2 years.

    A new Back to Work Scheme called the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance started in May 2009. There is no qualifying period for the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance. You can get immediate access to the allowance if you meet the qualifying conditions.

    The website selfemployedsupports.ie has information on the services and entitlements available if you are self-employed and your income is reduced.

    http://www.welfare.ie/en/Pages/Enterprise-Allowance-Self-Employed.aspx


  • Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 77 ✭✭NoPasaran


    Balagan wrote: »
    What you are incorrectly summarizing are the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance and the Short-Term Enterprise Allowance and, for the sake of clarity for those interested, and many avail of them to get back on their feet, here are the correct details:

    The Back to Work Enterprise Allowance (BTWEA) scheme encourages people getting certain social welfare payments to become self-employed. If you take part in the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance scheme (pdf) you can keep a percentage of your social welfare payment for up to 2 years.

    I see. There was no mention of being self-employed when they 'explained' it.


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