National employment action plan

Ohhiguys

Hey guys!

I've been receiving jobseekers allowance for a little while now and I've received a letter telling me I've to attend a group engagement session with other jobseekers on the 19th ( tomorrow ) where I'll be offered support to consider job vacancies and range of training/education courses that're available to me.

Can someone give me an idea of what to expect or what I need to bring along to these meetings? I'm slightly worried about being put into a CE scheme that I'll be stuck in for 6-9 months involuntarily that'll impede my actual work search.

Any help would be much appreciated, thanks!

I'll update this tomorrow as I can't seem to find any recent threads about it.

Ohhiguys

Had this meeting today, it was pretty straight forward, went into the employment office in Cork on corn market street, had to sign in at the reception desk and sit with a fairly large group of others, we were then moved upstairs into a room with a projector and a woman basically talked us through our various different options and left people ask questions if they were unsure about anything , we were given some forms to take away with us and one to fill out at home asking about previous work experience what level of education you've completed and your work related skills.

We're also obliged to go to a 1 on 1 meeting with someone from the employment offices who'll go over our application and suggest some options for you to consider ( work or further education related )
If you don't attend either I believe your payment gets reduced and can eventually be stopped for a period of 9 weeks.

I'll update this after my 1 on 1 meeting next week and try and cover what it entails.

edwood

Have this group session next week. Cannot wait...... Im more worried about the interview. Are they going to force me onto jobbridge or Tus or some other garbage to make it look like Joan Burton got Ireland back "working".

casio4

edwood wrote: »

Have this group session next week. Cannot wait...... Im more worried about the interview. Are they going to force me onto jobbridge or Tus or some other garbage to make it look like Joan Burton got Ireland back "working".

some of these are not group sessions they are one to one. I would say just go in with the attitude that you are looking for work but there are no jobs out there, they are looking to help you build up your cv and help you get a job. They will offer you courses but if they don't suit you act the thick and say you wouldn't be able to do the course as it's over your head, good luck:)

edwood

Thanks for the reply Casio. Im just worried they might make me do job bridge or force me onto another fas course. Iv done 3 fas (Manuel and computerised accounts/payroll and Digital image editing)courses already and I did ECDL in the college near my house. Went to do a follow up course with fas before and they told me i was too qualified and more or less give my place on the course to someone else, which i did. I don't fancy being forced into a course I don't want to do.

Rod Serling

I've also got gotten the honour of being invited to one of these meetings. AND I've been considered to work a day at a SuperValu or Musgraves and rub shoulders with their HR department!! No option not to do this in the letter I was sent of course but then why wouldn't I jump at this opportunity..

However last week I interviewed for and was accepted onto a college course starting in September. I'm planning to go in to the social welfare friends Tuesday and point this out (bringing with me my acceptance letter and paid deposit) - will I still be expected to take part in these entirely pointless exercises does anyone know? Seeing as going to college in September is final for me and I'd only be taking the spot from another lucky JSA recipient.. I also have a list a mile long of jobs I've applied for.

Mrs Garth Brooks

As far as I know, or it looks like it, they will force you to do something. Slaveship or course. It depends on the individual. If you have courses completed, it would probably be a slaveship job or something.

I think it depends who you get at this one-to-one meeting.

My mother was asked onto a group engagement session, followed by the one-to-one last september.

My mother has no interest in working, losing out on benefits, medical card etc. She had every excuse at this one-to-one. She cant drive. Last bus home from town at 6pm, cant do an evening course. Can't work a computer. Eventually settled on a course to shut them up. A course which is held on saturdays.

That was that and they never got back to her. Of course, they might when the next course comes along.

I had this one-to-one a few weeks ago. Had proof I was looking for work and making plans to go to the UK.

I was told that you can get in touch with employers and ask them to take you on under the slaveship scheme. Its meant to be voluntary and up to the person. And yet this is exactly what she wanted me to do!

Through a spanner into my plans. Work for 9 months, and get various few days off to travel to england for interviews. I live in the back arse of nowhere, I cant travel to and from in one day.

Do they give you time off on these slaveships to attend interviews? I highly doubt it.

Well, I did contact employers, all four or five of them in town. I suppose I need proof that I did, so I fired off an email and got an email back from two of them. No slaveship positions available. Even if I did get a slaveship, the €50 a week wouldnt even cover the bus fair for the week. And is it a 9-5 job or the hours the employer wants you to do? Most of these places that I have applied for do open in the evenings. And there will be a time I cannot walk away. My last bus home is at 6pm. Hitch home or €30 hackney home.

Anyway, I ramble far too much. Another thing she wanted me to do was get in touch with a voluntary organisation I did some work for before and ask them for a slaveship. I have no problem and would absolutely love to. But you need a car to get to and from the place. And she wasnt having any of it. I have the use of a car but its not mine and its completely unfair to expect the use of car 5 days a week.

I was told that she would be checking up on me again in march. If its not slaveship work, its a course. A course I have no interest in or a course that wont benefit me in any way.

They're only interested in getting you out doing something. They're not there for you.

HardLuckWoman

HardLuckWoman wrote: »

My mother has no interest in working, losing out on benefits, medical card etc.

So your mother has no interest in meeting the requirements of her payment. It's people like that who give all those on the dole a bad name. both you and her should be going out of your way to find work and not spending your time coming up with excuses.

Ohhiguys

Just had my 1 on 1 session @ Washington street Cork, I found it pretty straight forward and very easy, they ran me through various options that're available to me and went through my previous education and qualifications and wanted to know what I was intending to do in the future and how I was planning on getting there, the interview took roughly 1 hour and really was quite casual and not stressful in the slightest.
They're obviously there to try and assist you or get you into some form of further education or work so if you're going in there I would advise being prepared in advance and have a rough idea of some of your options and be able to talk about how you're going to get there.

I forgot to mention that I have to go back there again next month to talk about my progress etc.

Terpsichorean Master

Ohhiguys wrote: »

I forgot to mention that I have to go back there again next month to talk about my progress etc.

How did you get on at the follow-up meeting?

Did you end-up being pressured into doing a course/jobbridge placement/scheme etc. or was it more of an actual attempt to facilitate your progress?

I have to attend one of these Group Information Sessions tomorrow, so any and all information and insight you could provide would be very much appreciated, especially seeing as you've gone through the whole process!

Ohhiguys

I'm not entirely sure if the process is the same for everyone but I'd imagine if people were non compliant with them they'd more than likely pressure you into doing something you don't want to do, what I've ended up doing is basically an online course but I've had little to no follow up from them whilst doing it, I've been told to just contact them when I'm done.

I'm sure I've said earlier in this thread but they enquire about your education/ career and what you're hoping to do in the future and try and find something suitable, I don't think it's possible to just say that you're looking for work and don't want to do anything else, I'd imagine you'd be told that you can either follow up with your education or probably have to take up some scheme, I personally think the courses online are best suited if you're planning on looking for work unobstructed as it gives you freedom to study in your own time.


Not sure if this is okay to bump after all this time.

Ohhiguys

I can't seem to edit my last post but if I can be any help to someone you're better off private messaging me as opposed to leaving a comment on the thread, I'm not sure if I receive notifications for replies in my e-mail.

Terpsichorean Master

Ohhiguys wrote: »

I can't seem to edit my last post but if I can be any help to someone you're better off private messaging me as opposed to leaving a comment on the thread, I'm not sure if I receive notifications for replies in my e-mail.

Ok, will do - as there are a few things you've mentioned that I'd like to discuss further.