Group Engagement Session

Holheihob

I was made redundant 10 weeks ago. I signed on to job seekers benefit. I have received a letter from social welfare inviting me to a group engagement session next week. I dont know what to expect. Reading other threads this is a powerpoint presentation which is followed up with a one to one meeting. How often do you have to meet for these one to one meetings ?
I am worried that I will be forced to sign up to jobpath or equivalent. I have a professional qualification so I am confident that before too long I will find a suitable job.
Has anyone been to a group engagement session recently ? Thanks

Dial Hard

I was made redundant last year and spent several months on JSB. Thankfully I only had to attend one of these. It's basically an information session on how to write a CV, how to look for work and also info on any courses they may have coming up. All very much aimed at people who have practically zero experience of the workplace. I'd been working in a professional capacity for years and have a degree, etc. and found it all the biggest waste of time ever but I guess they have to aim these things where they'll be of the biggest help. I had my one-one-one meeting with my supervisor a few days later and she took one look at my CV and went "I don't really think there's a whole lot we're going to be able to do for you here." I wasn't referred to Seetec/Turas Nua at any stage and found my current job myself, as we both knew would be the case.

Squatter

Holheihob wrote: »

I

I have received a letter from social welfare inviting me to a group engagement session next week. I dont know what to expect.

If it's an "invitation" rather than a summons then might there be an RSVP link?

If so, then perhaps you could respond and politely decline the invitation on the basis of your qualifications and re-employment expectations.

Xterminator

Hi Op

if you take the coin, you get the responsibilities that come with it. Which include attending this group sessions, and possibly turas nua etc.

There are plenty of people out there who don't have a decent cv, need interview advice etc. It makes sense to provide these, give feedback on CV, and it doesn't actually hurt to sit through a class, or have a 1-2-1.

So i think the principle is fine. The implementation can leave a little to be desired, but thats RL for you. The people who cannot go to these sessions are the ones who are not genuinely looking for work, e.g. holding down jobs in the black economy. And if it discourages that too, i'm all for it.

from a taxpayers point of view it makes complete sense.

Holheihob

Thanks for the replies.... very helpful information.
I have no problem attending information sessions and 1 to 1 meetings. I just wanted to know what to expect.
I have never been unemployed before.... I have been a tax payer for 25 years.
I am sure jobpath is good for some people but I dont feel it would benefit me. I have contacts in a few recruitment agencies sourcing a job for me in the area I specialize in. Also I am searching irish jobs.ie every day.

Xterminator

hope you find something swiftly, there seems to be plenty of vacancies at the moment in general so its probably not a bad time to be looking for something.

Johnnycanyon

They will get you in for the first meeting and will have some hatchet face old crone from SW threatening you if you do no attend your payment will be cut..you are brought in every 2 weeks for a pointless meeting which could eadily be done once every 3 months..it's a money making racket for a failed UK company twinned with the fact that FG do not trust people to look for their own jobs..it has so far cost 80 million for only a handful of jobs..

NinetyTwoTeam

Xterminator wrote: »

Hi Op

if you take the coin, you get the responsibilities that come with it. Which include attending this group sessions, and possibly turas nua etc.

There are plenty of people out there who don't have a decent cv, need interview advice etc. It makes sense to provide these, give feedback on CV, and it doesn't actually hurt to sit through a class, or have a 1-2-1.

So i think the principle is fine. The implementation can leave a little to be desired, but thats RL for you. The people who cannot go to these sessions are the ones who are not genuinely looking for work, e.g. holding down jobs in the black economy. And if it discourages that too, i'm all for it.

from a taxpayers point of view it makes complete sense.

as someone who just finished the 12 months on Jobpath, this gave me a good chuckle.

i was made do the scheme despite having plenty of experience and a degree. the only reason I can't get work is there are no jobs in my location and I have no car, and public transportation here is inadequate also.

I was told they would link me to employers and put me forward for jobs. I wasn't referred for a single job in the entire year on the scheme. Only 18% of participants who have done it have found work, and I would wager those people could have gotten work without Jobpath - they include people who got work on their own back in the 18%, just because they happened to be on the scheme.

You think it stops people doing nixers? I'd say most nixers could accommodate a 20 min. meeting every fortnight. A lot of the people at my 1st group engagement session were close to retirement, none of them got work either so it isn't helping many people or saving money, it's costing money for you Mr. Taxpayer.

They redid my CV for me and it was full of typos and waffle.

It was meant to be aimed at the long term unemployed, but they have since realized that they are too challenging to find work for, meaning the company can't get commission and the scheme statistics suffer. So now they are targeting the recently unemployed like the OP, those more likely to get hired in the year, so they can claim they were responsible for successful return to work.

Employers don't want or need Jobpath people unless they have a horrible low paid job that they can't fill or keep someone in. So that's all they have, takeaways and such. What manager wants a Jobpath advisor ringing up to check on how the person is getting on every few weeks for a year as is their policy? Wouldn't you wonder why a prospective employee needs that and would it not put you off.

It's a useless scheme that only provides jobs for those running it.

Hello 1

The 'group engagement session' really is nothing to worry about, just basically attending a presentation with different 'guest speakers' about different options for jobseekers re - training to get employment, etc. Usually a roll is taken, and it will be known whether you attended or not. If you cannot attend without good cause, your payment will be stopped.

At this group session, whoever is in charge of it will then give each attendee an their own individual letter inviting them to attend a further one - to -one appointment with their 'case officer', who will just discuss your efforts to find employment, what career path you wish to follow, re - jobs. Appointment with case officer is usually in the following days after group engagement session, again, nothing to stress about, usually.

Good luck

WIZWEB

I've been with SEETEC ten months. I am a professional with two degrees. Unfortunately my work is fairly specialist so I either wait forever on panels or apply for any and every vacancy (which I have and continue to do so). In my time with SEETEC and their supply chain Noel Group (Skillsteam) I have been offered one interview for an unskilled job with back to back 14 hour night shifts and no lunch breaks for €11 per hour. Straight away they have disregarded two sections of the The Organisation of Working Time Act (1997). I believe the employer is also offered a JobsPlus payment of €10,000 on top of SEETECS/Noel Group Employment Agency commission which combined is about €20,000+ in total.