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TUS Programme

rsole1

MOD NOTE - Updated 24/02/2014
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Hi Had a letter from Social Protection inviting me to participate on a TUS Programme. I have done an internet search and there seems to be very little "chatter" about it from people who have been on it, does anyone have any experience of it? I know how much it pays and a broad idea of what type of jobs etc, but would like some first hand experience from people in the know. Sounds a bit like a CE Scheme.

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rsole1

dubgothic wrote: »

Hi,
You may play this out a lot better.I have used the situation to drive forward.Old news now.TUS maybe fun for you,nice employers,chance of a future job.

If it's any help,cliches apart-
"Corrective scheme":
I refused to sign the TUS form (no info,a nearly blank page) so my dole was stopped,or suspended for a few weeks,until I signed up.My behaviour was corrected.
Next-
Didn't realize I was effectively signing off the dole and joining a volunteer recruitment agency called PACT,who then take over.I wasn't happy with events after that.No interest from social welfare.
In my case it was a bad match,ending in tea-making,cleaning,fetching,and topped by sneering staff.No proper complaints system either.The service cuts out after each step: social welfare/agency/employer.A maze with one way traps.Dole was refused,and I didn't pursue it.My problem anyway.
"Skipped": left it,got out.I am relocating,so these are temporary measures.Luckily I am single,can do very casual work,not always have a regular income,and have work abroad.Not well paid,rough conditions,but better than this mess.And,like gypsies,I buy collectables when I have cash,so I always have something to sell.
The TUS dole-breaker scheme is partly on the right track though.It's a yellow-alert.Yawn..here we go....
The dole can be a bad system to get caught up in.Becoming an expert on one's social welfare rights (for a healthy,able-bodied person,and maybe even for less-abled folk) is dancing in a beggars-circle and never getting out of it.Time slips away.
Put your focus on getting a source of income,legally,(although that hasn't stopped Banks etc) away from the dole.It's a reactive system,get-me-dole=do nothing.That's the conditioning.Shutdown.
Active is : no-dole=massive-action.
Spanish,Greek: would riot over a random forced labour scheme,and anyway,hordes of them head for the UK without even bothering with their own capital cities.
For help with your TUS situation right now,maybe (it's still the system) get in touch with the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed. www.inou.ie

Good Luck!

Well the form TUS asked you to sign was merely asking for your permission to pass your details to a third party, ie a potential placement. As you rightly say, when you refused it gave them ammunition to fire at you, ie cut the dole as you are not actively seeking work.

I understand where you're coming from and I would probably have been the same at your age. But I am 53 and am more cunning and machiavellian than a young fella would be and play them at their own game.

PS I couldn't be trusted to make tea - not with my criminal record of administering poisons to people.

Good luck,

STEEVEE1SH

Hi im a 41 yr old and i currently received a letter from my local signing office. I allready had plans to start my valeting buisness and i have signed up for a buisness fetec level 4. Also i am a youth leader for foroige so most of my time is dealing with the teenagers. I declined the letter from the tus scheme had an interview with my local welfare office and they suspended my claim. I think this is very unfair as i have been waiting to set my own buisness up for some time now. I feel i have been pushed into this and i dont have a say. I will now have to return to the welfare office asap and tell them i will do the tus scheme because i dont know where the next meal will come from. Hope they will still let me do the tuc scheme still. Dont really want this but i have to now. Has anyone else had this problem

Karen23

My placement finishes in January and my Tus supervisor said she'd meet with me soon to update my CV and get it sent out to job vacancies , seems like they wont let me just go back on the dole. The thoughts of having to go through all that again. I'd quite happily stay where I am and for things to continue as they are but I cant see my employer taking me on and paying me when they can just take another '' free '' worker from Tus.

rsole1

I went for the interview, they asked what I'd like to do etc. At the end the woman said "you might not be offered anything". Don't know whether that was "code" for we haven't got anything suitable.

StillWaters

Karen23 wrote: »

My placement finishes in January and my Tus supervisor said she'd meet with me soon to update my CV and get it sent out to job vacancies , seems like they wont let me just go back on the dole. The thoughts of having to go through all that again. I'd quite happily stay where I am and for things to continue as they are but I cant see my employer taking me on and paying me when they can just take another '' free '' worker from Tus.

You can go back on job seekers, it's just that TUS includes mentoring and job coaching. You are right, it is very unlikely you will get work with your host organisation. Unless a paid worker leaves, or they get new funding from somewhere, they just don't have the money to take on staff. Have you looked on activelink, that is where community jobs are advertised.

easy1

My placement finishes in end of November,and there NO extension,what is bad for me,also I have ZERO chance to get paid job after my scheme finishes,because simply there is other people after me:(

babydoll123

hi was wondering can you hand in your notice on tus programme and if so where do i stand with social welfare?? :)

rsole1

babydoll123 wrote: »

hi was wondering can you hand in your notice on tus programme and if so where do i stand with social welfare?? :)

You can hand in your notice as with any job - but I think you'll be treated as though you have deliberately made yourself unemployed.

babydoll123

ah rite i see its just i have been unwell a lot lately and my partner is starting a full time course. this means that i will have to pay someone to bring and collect my four year old from school and mind her till 5 every evening whilst im in work for 3 days and my partner on course. at the moment i can not afford to do this ass money is tight and not left with much after bills and food r got

bwal

Got letter from tus last month so i sent it back.one month later i got a letter asking me to attend a meeting tomorrow.I look after my baby full time while her mother works.barely able to pay my mortgage I can not afford to pay for a childminder so I will b bringing my baby to the meeting tomorrow.does anybody know if this is a valid reason to decline a position?

rsole1

bwal wrote: »

Got letter from tus last month so i sent it back.one month later i got a letter asking me to attend a meeting tomorrow.I look after my baby full time while her mother works.barely able to pay my mortgage I can not afford to pay for a childminder so I will b bringing my baby to the meeting tomorrow.does anybody know if this is a valid reason to decline a position?

So you are not really available for / or looking for work. That's how they will see it if you say you can't take up a position as you are a full time child minder. Go along to the meeting and "play the game". I went six weeks ago and haven't heard a word yet. They don't have many places to offer - I think it's just a test in the majority of cases to see if you are really looking for work, so don't give them any excuse to stop your money.

Good luck.

bwal

rsole1 wrote: »

So you are not really available for / or looking for work. That's how they will see it if you say you can't take up a position as you are a full time child minder. Go along to the meeting and "play the game". I went six weeks ago and haven't heard a word yet. They don't have many places to offer - I think it's just a test in the majority of cases to see if you are really looking for work, so don't give them any excuse to stop your money.

Good luck.

Thanks for the reply. Had many sleepless nights over this letter. Offered to do it at night and was told I couldn't. Have no prob doing it once I wouldn't b out of pocket.another thing is somebody under 20 prob without any responsibilities gets the same amount as me, giving them a extra €100 a week.how is this fair

StillWaters

bwal wrote: »

Thanks for the reply. Had many sleepless nights over this letter. Offered to do it at night and was told I couldn't. Have no prob doing it once I wouldn't b out of pocket.another thing is somebody under 20 prob without any responsibilities gets the same amount as me, giving them a extra €100 a week.how is this fair

Don't go sleepless over it. There may be evening opportunities available eg in youth work. Do not say you cannot do daytime work as that does flag up your unavailability for work, but do state your preference for evening or weekend work to tie in with family commitments.

As for you getting the same amount as a single childless person, that's how it works in the working world too, you don't get extra wages to cover dependents.

pudsey0

Hi guys,

I just got a letter about this Tus programme today. I've been out of work for just over a year, and a few months ago I would have jumped at the chance but recently I've begun thinking of starting my own business. Last week I started browsing FAS courses on business start-ups and attaining the skills necessary to get off the ground. There's a ten week course starting in Jan I'm applying for which I could really benefit from.
The thing is I may not even get on a FAS Course in January and if I miss a deadline for accepting a Tus job could they stop my payment?
After reading the threads on this subject I'm starting to think that SW may think I'm just going for a FAS course to avoid Tus.. And I'll be back signing after 10 weeks. Tus I'm sure for some people is excellent, but I cant help but think that although you're back in the workforce temporarily, ultimately your back in the the same position, just twelve months older.

And if I'm lucky enough to get a place on the FAS course, will I be able to sign back on after that until I organise myself, raise enough capital etc to start the business, without them on my back?

I dont know what to do, if I accept a Tus job I'll be back in 12 months. If I go for FAS, and subsequent start-up I could have a growing business in 12 months. But if turn down the Tus and dont get the FAS my payment could be stopped?!!

Quite confused here, any help would be great!!

rsole1

pudsey0 wrote: »

Hi guys,

I just got a letter about this Tus programme today. I've been out of work for just over a year, and a few months ago I would have jumped at the chance but recently I've begun thinking of starting my own business. Last week I started browsing FAS courses on business start-ups and attaining the skills necessary to get off the ground. There's a ten week course starting in Jan I'm applying for which I could really benefit from.
The thing is I may not even get on a FAS Course in January and if I miss a deadline for accepting a Tus job could they stop my payment?
After reading the threads on this subject I'm starting to think that SW may think I'm just going for a FAS course to avoid Tus.. And I'll be back signing after 10 weeks. Tus I'm sure for some people is excellent, but I cant help but think that although you're back in the workforce temporarily, ultimately your back in the the same position, just twelve months older.

And if I'm lucky enough to get a place on the FAS course, will I be able to sign back on after that until I organise myself, raise enough capital etc to start the business, without them on my back?

I dont know what to do, if I accept a Tus job I'll be back in 12 months. If I go for FAS, and subsequent start-up I could have a growing business in 12 months. But if turn down the Tus and dont get the FAS my payment could be stopped?!!

Quite confused here, any help would be great!!

I was sent an invitation to attend the TUS interview some two months age now and have not heard another word from them. You must send the letter back to the Social Protection Department agreeing to attend the TUS interview. At the interview they wanted to know if I could work with "youths", I told them in no uncertain terms that I would not have the patience to work with teenagers. They went on about a bit of handyman work, so I said yes to that and yes to admin work. They seemed happy that I was amenable and willing to work. At the end of the meeting the lady said "you might not hear from us again". I have not heard from them yet.

I think in your position just tell them (TUS) that you're down for a FAS Course, but you will of course take anything that they offer. Just show willing and don't give them any opportunity to stop your money.

Good luck.

DenMan

I sat my TUS interview this morning. It went great. I was interviewed by two people (man and woman). I brought my Resume/CV in. They went through my skills set and found some great positions for me including one which they are trying to fast-track so I can start in the next week or two. I'm training to become an English language teacher through TEFL and will be leaving Ireland next year to teach in Thailand. They have schools set aside for remedial students who need extra tutelage to help with their English and Maths. That's what I'm hopefully going to do. Also I have a background in IT and working in an office using Microsoft is something they are looking for me too. I can also have the option of balancing the two and combine them. Really excited about it. Can't wait to start. Then again I am leaving Ireland to spend a life teaching abroad and can't wait to get off the dole. Onwards and upwards for me that's for sure. Good luck to everyone else. I hope TUS helps you.

StillWaters

Congrats DenMan, that sounds like a perfect match. And great attitude!

DenMan

StillWaters wrote: »

Congrats DenMan, that sounds like a perfect match. And great attitude!

Thank you. Went in again today and was offered the position. I start in two weeks time. Delighted. Can't wait to start.

Drezden

The crazy thing about this scheme is in flagrant breach of International Law. "The requirement to carry out mandatory work is contrary to Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights which prohibits compulsory labour. Job Seekers’ Allowance is a subsistence benefit that people depended on to live, it is not a ‘gift’ but an entitlement. "

Thats a quote from a legal case in the Uk, where people refused to take part in a similar scheme and were takin off JA. They pursued legal proceedings in the high court and the decision was overturned. This acted as a catalyst for many other people to get their social welfare payment restored.

Karen23

I finished my Tus placement this week but for the last two weeks since the budget changes came into effect I have been paying €15.70 PRSI from the €20 top up so I actually only came out with €4.30 extra after working 19.5 hours.

kelly44

Im in a tus program at the moment and its muck wish I never got pick for it as I pay 20 euro tax and 19.70 euro prsi so ive lost me 20 euro topup and in also down 20 euro if your earning more than 365 euro on the social welfare they tax you now on it and when your fuel allowance goes your down more money to I claim a family payment. And the place they put me is a joke I was told id be doing this and that made it sound great what a load of bol,,, lox

Karen23

kelly44 wrote: »

Im in a tus program at the moment and its muck wish I never got pick for it as I pay 20 euro tax and 19.70 euro prsi so ive lost me 20 euro topup and in also down 20 euro if your earning more than 365 euro on the social welfare they tax you now on it and when your fuel allowance goes your down more money to I claim a family payment. And the place they put me is a joke I was told id be doing this and that made it sound great what a load of bol,,, lox

You should ask to finish your contract early , I was told I wouldn't be expected to complete it if I was down money as this was a valid reason not to take part and would have no effect on my payment.

kelly44

Karen23 wrote: »

You should ask to finish your contract early , I was told I wouldn't be expected to complete it if I was down money as this was a valid reason not to take part and would have no effect on my payment.

Thanks for the advice should I talk to the social welfare first or some one in tus as I brought it up before and was told they are trying to get it sorted it out with people paying tax but I think they just want you in tus so thay say anything.
Thanks again for the reply

Karen23

Speak to your Tus team leader first and stress that this programme is not suited to you as your coming out with less money each week and its hard enough trying to manage as it is. Tell them this is a valid reason for you to be excused.

Let us know how you get on.
Good luck.

kelly44

Karen23 wrote: »

Speak to your Tus team leader first and stress that this programme is not suited to you as your coming out with less money each week and its hard enough trying to manage as it is. Tell them this is a valid reason for you to be excused.

Let us know how you get on.
Good luck.

Will do thanks again

Backstreet Moyes

Just wondering started a TUS job a few weeks ago. I have just been contacted about an aptitude test for a factory job next week. It's taking place during my working hours for the TUS job. What way do i approach this do i tell them and take it as a day off although you need to give two weeks notice for a holiday. Or do i just contact the person in TUS who set up the TUS job and let him sort it out. I presume their should be no problem as it is giving me a chance to get full time work.

Faith+1

Nuts102 wrote: »

Just wondering started a TUS job a few weeks ago. I have just been contacted about an aptitude test for a factory job next week. It's taking place during my working hours for the TUS job. What way do i approach this do i tell them and take it as a day off although you need to give two weeks notice for a holiday. Or do i just contact the person in TUS who set up the TUS job and let him sort it out. I presume their should be no problem as it is giving me a chance to get full time work.

Exactly. Tell them the situation and if they are are d*cks about it ring your TUS supervisor. The chance of full time employment is alot more appealing than working for free (Technically).

mrbrown69

How do the hours work on this thing? 19 hrs a week :rolleyes:.. is it three day 6 and a bit hrs a week or full 5 day week of 3 ridiculous hrs? are people placed in positions with companies who have full time employees? thus potentially be seen as something of a general dogsbody

I was always under the impression you had to have committed some menial crime to be "forced" into labour, being unemployed is now seen as a crime it seems :rolleyes:

Karen23

mrbrown69 wrote: »

How do the hours work on this thing? 19 hrs a week :rolleyes:.. is it three day 6 and a bit hrs a week or full 5 day week of 3 ridiculous hrs? are people placed in positions with companies who have full time employees? thus potentially be seen as something of a general dogsbody

I was always under the impression you had to have committed some menial crime to be "forced" into labour, being unemployed is now seen as a crime it seems :rolleyes:

19.5 hours , the company I worked for allowed me to work my hours over 4 mornings so I had Fridays off

but the did have full time employees too.

A lot of people on Tus have said they felt like free labour

dubscribe

STEEVEE1SH wrote: »

Hi im a 41 yr old and i currently received a letter from my local signing office. I allready had plans to start my valeting buisness and i have signed up for a buisness fetec level 4. Also i am a youth leader for foroige so most of my time is dealing with the teenagers. I declined the letter from the tus scheme had an interview with my local welfare office and they suspended my claim. I think this is very unfair as i have been waiting to set my own buisness up for some time now. I feel i have been pushed into this and i dont have a say. I will now have to return to the welfare office asap and tell them i will do the tus scheme because i dont know where the next meal will come from. Hope they will still let me do the tuc scheme still. Dont really want this but i have to now. Has anyone else had this problem

I got the letter asking me if I wanted to sign up for the Tus scheme, I filled in the form, including an A4 letter explaining WHY, in my personal situation it was not appropriate ie
a) I live in a tiny seaside village, rely on public transport and if I were placed in the nearest town I could be 36-55 euro a week worse off due to travel costs.
b) I did a 9-month Jobbridge Internship last year in my village and would not go back there again due my bad experience (the only local community option I'm aware of)
c) I'm hoping to relocate later this year to an area where I might have a better chance of getting a real, decent paying job.

I did say, if they were not happy with my explanations and I was in danger of having my benefits cut to let me know immediately.
They got the letter yesterday, I got a phone call this morning.
Basically if I do not agree to sign up for the scheme, my benefits will be cut.

So there you have it - forced labour.
After my experience with JobBridge last year I am very against this kind of cheap/free labour.

After my conversation this morning with Tus, I am furious and specifically came online to find out about other peoples experiences.

I truly sympathise. I am very definitely inclined to think that once you are in the "system", like I did JobBridge last year - you get caught up in it. Having given 9 months of my life and experience to "working for the dole" last year - isn't it someone else's turn to endure the indignity that you are forced to work for next to nothing, or in my case, for 1.28 euro an hour on top of my social welfare.