Turas Nua - Help

loudnoises89

Hi everyone, this is a long one so bear with me. I have a bit of an issue with this Turas Nua or JobPath scheme that is currently being operated by the DSP. For those who don't know its basically an initiative to get long term unemployed back into work which sounds good the more i read into it, this scheme seems as dodgy as hell. For starters i have been in college for the past 4 years on BTEA.

Anyway I just finished college 3 weeks ago and signed on when i returned back home while i waited for my results and was applying for jobs in the meantime. Within one week of signing on I was sent a letter from this Turas Nua crowd about attending an information session on gaining employment and assigning me a personal adviser of sorts. Now i was skeptical as I had no idea what it was and with previous slave schemes such as JobBridge i was worried what it may entail. I'd no choice in the matter and my JSA would be cut if i didn't attend. I even received a weird phone call a week before the meeting with a guy almost threatening me to attend this meeting. A bit of "go or else" nonsense. I turned up for the information session today and was extremely put off by what i encountered.

To make a long story short, I was assigned an adviser in Cork last week and he informed me that he would be helping me find a job and I would have to return on a frequent basis to take part in tasks such as basic IT and CV building sessions, which I feel is completely unnecessary as my IT skills, communication skills, interpersonal skills are already at a high level, and also my CV has been looked over by 3 HR managers whom have assured me it's of sound quality. Some of this stuff seems completely irrelevant for a person in my situation.

The thing that worries me the most though was the worker informing me that he will be looking for work for me. Now I bluntly stated that I have just finished college and intend on finding something that suits my degree and don't feel comfortable putting my future in the hands of someone i neither know nor trust. I think this is outrageous that I was lumped into this so soon after finishing college. I have been trawling through job sites looking for graduate programmes and positions that suit my past experience and academic background. My main issue is that they will find some terrible job and try to force me into it. I have read horror stories about this crowd forcing people into CE schemes or TUS schemes if they remain unemployed for an extended period. I will absolutely refuse to accept any of these, or any low rent, poorly payed job as I want to find a position that will enable me to progress and be successful, which is only fair.

Can anyone further enlighten me on this sham of a scheme and their experiences in dealing with them. I have no problem meeting with them when they want but I will draw the line at being forced to accept a job that does not not fit my skill set or aspirations and attend classes on areas that I am already adequately prepared in.

Nomis21

I am 61 and 11 months old. At 62 years I no longer am obliged to engage with these work activation schemes but I was sent a letter last month while in hospital with a serious illness. As soon as I was discharged from hospital I was forced by Turas Nua to attend their office and present a medical certificate to avoid my JA being cut. My illness is likely to last way beyond my 62nd birthday but Turas Nua were determined to rope me in and informed me that once in their scheme I was obliged to stay for a year.

I complained to my DSP office who gave me a form to claim disability and told me that if I filled it in and gave it to Turas Nua then Turas Nua would have to leave me alone, which they have done.

Turas Nua are paid by commission only, on the number of people they get off the live register. They have no interest in your welfare or career progress.

wokingvoter

The problem you have is this.
If you are claiming JSA then you are looking for available for and fit for full time work.
Not "looking for a well paid job in my graduate field"
Of course certain consideration will be given to your qualifications but not a lot
If you have been getting BTEA for 4 years (have you) then you were on JSA for some time before that, so all and all you have been in receipt of SW long term.
What's to stop you from continuing to look for the well paid job in your field while you attend Turas Nua, go to the interviews, and possibly start a job that they find for you?

Canadel

Keep looking for a job related to your degree/career interest etc.

And try to pick up a part time job and maybe switch to JSB to supplement your income. That should give you the same income as what you're probably on now with JSA, as well as keeping those people off your back.

My advice.

Musicman2000

Have a read of this. http://www.turasnua.ie/content/view/Looking+for+work
What i get from reading this on their website they wont throw you into any job they will try and get you a job that matches your experience and qualifications.
You should attend anyway just to find out what they can do for you. Explain that you don't want to be pushed into any job. Have proof that you are looking for work as well.

If your advisor is bing rude or unhelpful they can be reported. The other side of the coin, if the advisor is helpful and pleasant and agrees to help you find a job that is suitable don't go in with all guns blazing work together and hopefully a good job will come from it .

Archeotech

I agree they probably should've left you alone for a while longer. Especially as you might have repeat exams if you failed any subjects or have to resubmit your final year dissertation, and then there's the possibility of you repeating a year. I would approach the social welfare office and ask if you could at least be let off this scheme until September when you'll definitely be finished with your education. Right now you don't even have your qualification that you worked so hard for and you'd like to take advantage of that.

Also MODS why was the general Turas Nua thread closed so quickly last week when people were giving feedback and actively discussing it? Is discussion of Job Path frowned upon here?

My own experience for anybody interested as I've been on job path for about 2.5 months and thought I'd share.

I got a letter out of the blue that I'd have to attend so went in and met with caseworker. Girl was quite rude and I was told to apply for about 10-20 jobs a week! I told her that was nonsense as there wasn't that many jobs out there. Anyway she was pushy and tried to get me to apply for pretty much anything and everything including minimum wage factory labour when I'm well educated and have lots of work experience. She'd have me come in for 2 or 3 times a week and you'd have to stay at least an hour each time. She didn't offer any advice, seemed next to useless and was chatting to co-workers for ages about social activities when I was waiting around to see her.

Anyway after about 5 to 6 weeks I got a new caseworker as they were moving the other one elsewhere. The new caseworker was much better and what I expected. She's happy with me, polite, and just meets once a week. She also sometimes comes up to me with jobs she's come across and asks if I'm interested without forcing me to apply and actually tries to offer advice. Generally I apply for about 3 to 5 jobs per week and she's happy with that. The first person I had was really rubbish, rude, and pushy. Don't know how other caseworkers are but guess it depends. My advice for anybody going on this scheme is be polite to your caseworker (as they can make things difficult) and just do what you can (ideally at least 3 jobs per week). As long as you're being active, polite, and turning up for your meetings then there's nothing they can do.

mp22

This forum is for questions relating to how to claim,what can I claim ect,discussion of gov schemes is not what we are about.

If posters wish to discuss Turas nua they would need to remain within the forum charter,item 5 and 5a of same would lead to a very tame discussion,so perhaps the politics forum would be the place to start a thread.

Thread closed