TUS Programme

dgallagher_73 · 09-02-2021 08:11PM

RedRunners wrote: »

I went with the sports club in the end. I just felt the charity shop would be alot of standing around, and the janitor job at the secondary school would be full of of teenage psychopaths

All in all, I think it was the right choice. The supervisor at the club is sound. She gives me the key in the morning and I just work away. No hurry, no hassle. "just head off when off when your finished", "looks like it might rain or snow, take the day off". That kinda thing.

By listening to some of the comments here, it appears that who you get as a supervisor or boss, will be reflective of your experience on the programme. I was lucky, mine is sound.

I'm still on it by the way, even though my 12 months have passed. Covid has thrown a spanner in the works.

Good to hear that you're having a good experience. The idea of being a janitor in a secondary school sounds nightmarish.

It's really interesting that you say that the lockdowns have thrown a spanner in the works as I've seen and talked to people on the Tus scheme picking up litter in my town during both lockdowns.

It's a bit weird that some Tus workers are off work at the moment but other workers still have to work. I wonder what the reasoning behind it is?

RedRunners · 09-02-2021 08:50PM

dgallagher_73 wrote: »

Good to hear that you're having a good experience. The idea of being a janitor in a secondary school sounds nightmarish.

It's really interesting that you say that the lockdowns have thrown a spanner in the works as I've seen and talked to people on the Tus scheme picking up litter in my town during both lockdowns.

It's a bit weird that some Tus workers are off work at the moment but other workers still have to work. I wonder what the reasoning behind it is?

Picking up litter all day sounds like a terrible option to take. At least if you work at a sports club, a school, or a shop you'll get some kind of relevant experience for your CV, but picking up rubbish? How do you sugarcoat that at a job interview.

But in terms of some TÚS workers being off and other still working during covid. Well technically, I'm off till March 5th but every few weeks my supervisor might call and ask to help out with something small for a couple hours. I don't really mind, it's just around the corner and we all keep our distance. Plus, I know they're all volunteers so no one is really profiting off the work. So why not right.

I'd ask my TÚS manager whats going to happen after March 5th, but if your expecting to get a straight answer out of that crowd, you'd might as well be chasing moonbeams. I'd say I'v spoken to members of the TÚS management maybe 5 times in the last year, and each time I leave the conversation as equally confused as I was going into it.

dgallagher_73 · 10-02-2021 10:43AM

RedRunners wrote: »

Picking up litter all day sounds like a terrible option to take. At least if you work at a sports club, a school, or a shop you'll get some kind of relevant experience for your CV, but picking up rubbish? How do you sugarcoat that at a job interview.

But in terms of some TÚS workers being off and other still working during covid. Well technically, I'm off till March 5th but every few weeks my supervisor might call and ask to help out with something small for a couple hours. I don't really mind, it's just around the corner and we all keep our distance. Plus, I know they're all volunteers so no one is really profiting off the work. So why not right.

I'd ask my TÚS manager whats going to happen after March 5th, but if your expecting to get a straight answer out of that crowd, you'd might as well be chasing moonbeams. I'd say I'v spoken to members of the TÚS management maybe 5 times in the last year, and each time I leave the conversation as equally confused as I was going into it.

You mentioned that "Picking up litter all day sounds like a terrible option to take. At least if you work at a sports club, a school, or a shop you'll get some kind of relevant experience for your CV, but picking up rubbish? How do you sugarcoat that at a job interview."

I have a feeling that some of the people on the Tus scheme that are litter picking around town all day weren't given a choice in what job they had to do.
It seems you personally had some sort of discretion when it came to picking a Tus job? You were given three options and chose the sports club.
I've talked to others that had participated on the scheme and they seemed to be given a choice of three or so positions.
I wonder are those that are litter picking in town the ones that were rejected from the "nicer" kinds of jobs like working in a sports club, charity shop etc? Unless they actually just chose to the litter picking job?

Yeah I think the reason why the Tus managers are so kind of cryptic is because they're learning things from their superiors as time goes by during the pandemic which maybe results in giving non-concrete information to participants?

sallyanne12 · 15-05-2021 03:04PM

I got a letter inviting me to take part of the tus scheme. I’m having a surgery to my leg In 3 weeks time which I’m told the recovery period is long for. Should I explain this on the form that I may be unable to take part for a few weeks or should I wait and explain when tus themselves call me

15-05-2021 03:11PM

sallyanne12 wrote: »

I got a letter inviting me to take part of the tus scheme. I’m having a surgery to my leg In 3 weeks time which I’m told the recovery period is long for. Should I explain this on the form that I may be unable to take part for a few weeks or should I wait and explain when tus themselves call me

I’d let them know sooner rather than later. They might look for proof of surgery.

Good Luck with the surgery.

jimjangles · 24-06-2021 10:00AM

I unfortunately for me got the dreaded an Tus letter today.
It sounds absolutely dire from what's been said here.
It's forced community service for unemployed people. The government treat unemployed people like people who committed a crime, do your forced community service or you lose your dole.
Instead of actually offering some kind of experience that would be useful in getting a job or helping someone get a job you instead get kicked when you're down and treated like a criminal.
You had this junk going on and bloody Seetec where all they did was supervise you doing job searches on their computers.

I hate this effing government and I hate their attitude towards unemployed people.
I want to work why won't they help me get a bloody job.

I'm intelligent I have qualifications, I've done multiple courses in my life yet because I have been out of work for so long nobody will let me get a job and nobody will give me a chance.
I don't want to be stuck doing unskilled community service for a year

Fook the government, fook Michael Martin, fook Leo Varadkar, fook Fine Gael, fook Fianna Fail, I took the vaccines, I did everything they asked me to do for the past year and a half and avoided covid and this is the absolute crap they land on my doorstep as soon as they possibly can.
It's a bloody insult to me and they should be fooking ashamed.

sonofenoch · 24-06-2021 10:05AM

To get a call for Tus you have to be unemployed for 3 yrs ...I think in that time there's no harm in maybe getting your arse in gear ....I mean it's 19.5 hrs a week it's not gonna kill anyone..............plus it's still an interview process, you mightn't get it nor do you have to take it after an interview

jimjangles · 24-06-2021 10:09AM

sonofenoch wrote: »

To get a call for Tus you have to be unemployed for 3 yrs ...I think in that time there's no harm in maybe getting your arse in gear ....I mean it's 19.5 hrs a week it's not gonna kill anyone..............plus it's still an interview process, you mightn't get it nor do you have to take it after an interview

Oh you're the type of ignorant incompetent person who hasn't a bloody clue of my situation yet wants to preach bs. Get your arse in gear.
We were in a bloody covid lockdown for the last year and a half newsflash.
Before that I was an at home carer so mate you haven't a bloody clue and don't talk down to me like that you ignoramus.

segosego89 · 24-06-2021 10:10AM

jimjangles wrote: »

I unfortunately for me got the dreaded an Tus letter today.
It sounds absolutely dire from what's been said here.
It's forced community service for unemployed people. The government treat unemployed people like people who committed a crime, do your forced community service or you lose your dole.
Instead of actually offering some kind of experience that would be useful in getting a job or helping someone get a job you instead get kicked when you're down and treated like a criminal.
You had this junk going on and bloody Seetec where all they did was supervise you doing job searches on their computers.

I hate this effing government and I hate their attitude towards unemployed people.
I want to work why won't they help me get a bloody job.

I'm intelligent I have qualifications, I've done multiple courses in my life yet because I have been out of work for so long nobody will let me get a job and nobody will give me a chance.
I don't want to be stuck doing unskilled community service for a year

Fook the government, fook Michael Martin, fook Leo Varadkar, fook Fine Gael, fook Fianna Fail, I took the vaccines, I did everything they asked me to do for the past year and a half and avoided covid and this is the absolute crap they land on my doorstep as soon as they possibly can.
It's a bloody insult to me and they should be fooking ashamed.

Sorry to hear about this. I know it's a very unpleasant experience. You may already know this but it's best to respond immediately to the letter as you may be able to get a more pleasant position if you do so.

Did they specify a job position in the letter that they sent you or was the letter more of a general "inviting you for a meeting" kind of thing? I assume it will be a phone call rather than an actual indoor meeting? Or perhaps it will be an indoor meeting if it's going to take place after July 5th?

segosego89 · 24-06-2021 10:11AM

sonofenoch wrote: »

To get a call for Tus you have to be unemployed for 3 yrs ...I think in that time there's no harm in maybe getting your arse in gear ....I mean it's 19.5 hrs a week it's not gonna kill anyone..............plus it's still an interview process, you mightn't get it nor do you have to take it after an interview

You don't seem to have a good understanding of how these things work at all. You absolutely have to take a position. It's mandatory. It's not helpful to tell someone on Boards to get their "arse in order" considering you know **** all about their situation.

Also you need to be over 25 years old and have been unemployed for 1 year before being selected for the Tus scheme. I don't know where you got the 3 year thing from?

jimjangles · 24-06-2021 10:17AM

segosego89 wrote: »

Sorry to hear about this. I know it's a very unpleasant experience. You may already know this but it's best to respond immediately to the letter as you may be able to get a more pleasant position if you do so.

Did they specify a job position in the letter that they sent you or was the letter more of a general "inviting you for a meeting" kind of thing? I assume it will be a phone call rather than an actual indoor meeting? Or perhaps it will be an indoor meeting if it's going to take place after July 5th?

I will reply to it because I have to.
It starts by threatening to cut my dole if I don't respond.
I just put it back in its envelope and threw it on the floor in anger
I'll have a look at it again later.
It just stinks the way Ireland treats unemployed people it bloody stinks.

segosego89 · 24-06-2021 10:23AM

jimjangles wrote: »

I will reply to it because I have to.
It starts by threatening to cut my dole if I don't respond.
I just put it back in its envelope and threw it on the floor in anger
I'll have a look at it again later.
It just stinks the way Ireland treats unemployed people it bloody stinks.

Yeah they treat people like scum. It's very depressing. I've been treated horribly myself in general by the system.

24-06-2021 10:56AM

jimjangles wrote: »

I will reply to it because I have to.
It starts by threatening to cut my dole if I don't respond.
I just put it back in its envelope and threw it on the floor in anger
I'll have a look at it again later.
It just stinks the way Ireland treats unemployed people it bloody stinks.

Please respond to the letter. You may not be suitable to the position that they have in mind. Or you might be surprised, be suitable and actually enjoy the placement. Please go in with an open mind. Not all placements involve litter picking or cutting grass.
Good Luck.

jimjangles · 30-06-2021 03:06AM

Hey just wondering if I signup for an ecollege online course would I be able to avoid an tus?
Does anyone know?

30-06-2021 08:56AM

jimjangles wrote: »

Hey just wondering if I signup for an ecollege online course would I be able to avoid an tus?
Does anyone know?

Do you mean Turas Nua? If so and you’re already in their clutches and it’s an approved course, they’ll extend the years er engagement for the term of the course.

jimjangles · 30-06-2021 12:20PM

No it's an Tus a years community service basically.
I want to avoid it.
I don't want to waste time sweeping the roads for a year.
I want to get a job in programming.
I have a degree from a long time ago.
I was thinking of doing an online ecollege course
to update my Java certification and was
wondering if that could get me off the an Tus
radar.

Sweeping the roads or doing whatever other bs
they can come up with to try and degrade me is not
my ambition in life.

segosego89 · 30-06-2021 02:58PM

jimjangles wrote: »

No it's an Tus a years community service basically.
I want to avoid it.
I don't want to waste time sweeping the roads for a year.
I want to get a job in programming.
I have a degree from a long time ago.
I was thinking of doing an online ecollege course
to update my Java certification and was
wondering if that could get me off the an Tus
radar.

Sweeping the roads or doing whatever other bs
they can come up with to try and degrade me is not
my ambition in life.

No there's no way out of it even if you did an eCollege course. I would recommend trying to apply for an indoor CE scheme job in order to avoid being put in a job were you would be sweeping the streets etc.

Have you met with the Tus advisor yet? Can you specify what was written in the letter you received exactly?

jimjangles · 30-06-2021 04:16PM

I had to send back the letter so don't have it but
it was just a generic letter telling me if I didn't agree to an
Tus my dole could be cut and that it's a community work
scheme or something like that.
It basically told me nothing about what I could be
doing.
They just wanted my signature.

Dempo1 · 30-06-2021 04:47PM

jimjangles wrote: »

I had to send back the letter so don't have it but
it was just a generic letter telling me if I didn't agree to an
Tus my dole could be cut and that it's a community work
scheme or something like that.
It basically told me nothing about what I could be
doing.
They just wanted my signature.

Having an IT background, I would have thought it wise to save a copy of these letters. I appreciate your frustrations but as others have said it's not something you can decline or avoid. You seem to be over focusing on the negatives and whilst there are many Full time locsl authority staff sweeping roads and cleaning, these are extremely well paid positions, many of which came about through community employment schemes.

There are numerous possible vacancies, even possibly admin, IT possibilities.

Personally if I had a choice I'd be choosing this scheme over the utterly appalling Jobspath scheme.

There's a very bumpy road regarding employment opportunities ahead after the true cost of the Pandemic is realised. I just respectively advise look at any opportunity afforded you and don't be so quick to be judgemental on certain professions.

sonofenoch · 30-06-2021 06:05PM

jimjangles wrote: »

No it's an Tus a years community service basically.
I want to avoid it.
I don't want to waste time sweeping the roads for a year.
I want to get a job in programming.
I have a degree from a long time ago.
I was thinking of doing an online ecollege course
to update my Java certification and was
wondering if that could get me off the an Tus
radar.

Sweeping the roads or doing whatever other bs
they can come up with to try and degrade me is not
my ambition in life.

Doesn't sound like it's served you well ......have never heard of anyone sweeping roads on a Tus programme, I think that would be a fairly well paid council job (do they even use road sweepers anymore) anyone I've heard of were placed in computer refurbish or furniture recycling ...all charity places .................19 and a half hrs a week oh the horror of it all, you could do that and still do any online course

jimjangles · 30-06-2021 06:41PM

sonofenoch wrote: »

Doesn't sound like it's served you well ......have never heard of anyone sweeping roads on a Tus programme, I think that would be a fairly well paid council job (do they even use road sweepers anymore) anyone I've heard of were placed in computer refurbish or furniture recycling ...all charity places .................19 and a half hrs a week oh the horror of it all, you could do that and still do any online course

Computer refurbishment would be fine.
I could do that if there was anything available in that regard but unfortunately I doubt it.
I suppose if they try force me to do something I don't want to do I could just say no and try live with taking a dole cut.

Dempo1 · 30-06-2021 06:52PM

sonofenoch wrote: »

Doesn't sound like it's served you well ......have never heard of anyone sweeping roads on a Tus programme, I think that would be a fairly well paid council job (do they even use road sweepers anymore) anyone I've heard of were placed in computer refurbish or furniture recycling ...all charity places .................19 and a half hrs a week oh the horror of it all, you could do that and still do any online course

I think the reference to sweeping roads relates to schemes that include maintaining public areas of villages and small towns and yes it does include a spot of sweeping

Dempo1 · 30-06-2021 06:54PM

jimjangles wrote: »

Computer refurbishment would be fine.
I could do that if there was anything available in that regard but unfortunately I doubt it.
I suppose if they try force me to do something I don't want to do I could just say no and try live with taking a dole cut.

Say no and it's likely a cut will be the least of your worries, full suspension of payment more likely I'm afraid

jimjangles · 30-06-2021 07:38PM

Seriously really?
That's harsh.
I'll have to smile and setup with whatever I get.
Another year wasted.
I'll tell them what I'm interested in doing
when I get called up for interview but I'm very
sceptical of this being any use whatsoever.
If you get a job while on it do they let you go?
Do they cover travel expenses if you're getting a bus
in and out?

30-06-2021 08:11PM

jimjangles wrote: »

Seriously really?
That's harsh.
I'll have to smile and setup with whatever I get.
Another year wasted.
I'll tell them what I'm interested in doing
when I get called up for interview but I'm very
sceptical of this being any use whatsoever.
If you get a job while on it do they let you go?
Do they cover travel expenses if you're getting a bus
in and out?

It’ll only be another year wasted if you don’t get a job or start a recognised course in the meantime. If you can’t get work relevant to your degree, it might be time to change direction. Have you looked at any CE Schemes? There might be something more suited to your abilities and talents.

jimjangles · 30-06-2021 08:50PM

Aw no I had a look at the CE schemes there and there
is nothing that would interest me.
If that's the kind of stuff An Tus offers me then
I'm absolutely screwed.
Maybe I''ll get time to get a job in what I want
to do before I get called for this.
I can only hope and pray and get applying.
No An Tus, if those CE schemes are anything to
go by would be absolute hell for me.

sonofenoch · 30-06-2021 10:27PM

Deleted User wrote: »

It’ll only be another year wasted if you don’t get a job or start a recognised course in the meantime. If you can’t get work relevant to your degree, it might be time to change direction. Have you looked at any CE Schemes? There might be something more suited to your abilities and talents.

I don't get the logic behind the idea against it if I'm honest, you're tied to nothing and can leave at anytime you get a job ...........you can be doing this and still look for work (if that's what you were doing to begin with?)

Cherry Blossom · 30-06-2021 10:34PM

I have a level 8 qualification and the CE scheme was plenty good enough for me. If it’s good enough for me, it’s good enough for you. I’m now on the management committee for a CE project. The role I did was administrator. Paying the wages and keeping the books etc. The project I was on also had a role for a tour guide/genealogy researcher and an IT worker. The IT worker was in charge of the computer network, some of the computers were available to the public. He also was responsible for installing software etc, teaching basic IT skills to the public and putting together a rough draft of the newsletter for the centre which a professional journalist put the finishing touches to. CE jobs are many and varied. My understanding of TUS is that is last chance saloon, a lot of people who have refused to work on CE have ended up on the TUS scheme.

jimjangles · 01-07-2021 12:28AM

I was just saying the CE schemes I looked at in my locale
are not my kind of thing.
If that's where an Tus gets their jobs from
I wouldn't be interested in pursuing a career
in any of those things.
It was caretaker, working for tidy towns,
there was some office admin role but I
think women usually get those.
Anyway it may be a long time before I
get called so I suppose I shouldn't
worry too much yet.
I was wondering do an Tus cover travel if you
have to get a bus in and out?

Oranage2 · 01-07-2021 02:25AM

jimjangles wrote: »

I was just saying the CE schemes I looked at in my locale
are not my kind of thing.
If that's where an Tus gets their jobs from
I wouldn't be interested in pursuing a career
in any of those things.
It was caretaker, working for tidy towns,
there was some office admin role but I
think women usually get those.
Anyway it may be a long time before I
get called so I suppose I shouldn't
worry too much yet.
I was wondering do an Tus cover travel if you
have to get a bus in and out?

How many CVs do you send out a week? You're so completely negative about this, it's just 2 and a half days work, and I know many people to have found employment after doing a scheme particularly a CE scheme.

TUS Programme

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