Jobbridge question

Roisy7 · 06-12-2012 1:41pm #1

A little question about Jobbridge, I can't seem to find it on the website.

Basically, I'm currently in receipt of the reduced JSA as I'm under 24. So if I got an internship is it my reduced rate +50e or or the full rate.

If it's the reduced rate of 144+50 I don't think I can afford to live in Dublin, or anywhere else. I had a small bit of money saved up from a small windfall I got earlier in the year but that won't stretch far.

I'm at home at the moment but the only places I can commute to are Cork and Limerick. And I would need a car to commute to Cork. So I honestly dunno can I afford to exist the scheme.

I'm also doing TEFL atm but part of me is thinking that I'm giving up on my career and five years of college if I go abroad without doing Jobbridge.

Anyone know anything about the rates?

eastbono · 06-12-2012 6:30pm

You will get the rate you are currently on plus €50.

Roisy7 · 06-12-2012 8:21pm

eastbono wrote: »

You will get the rate you are currently on plus €50.

Thanks Eastbono. TEFL it is!

RebelRed90 · 08-12-2012 7:44pm

balls, was hoping it would be the higher rate, in a similar situation myself!

Roisy7 · 08-12-2012 7:55pm

RebelRed90 wrote: »

balls, was hoping it would be the higher rate, in a similar situation myself!

Ugh I know. Oh well. Hope things work out for you

StillWaters · 09-12-2012 11:08am

It's worth noting that a lot of companies top up jobbridge with 'travel' or 'lunch' money, or bonuses. It's not strictly allowed, but is common amongst companies I know.

The problem is you won't know what companies do this as you obviously can't ask. It seems to be much more common in the smaller companies where they don't have HR to navigate.

triple-M · 09-12-2012 11:10am

eastbono wrote: »

You will get the rate you are currently on plus €50.

no you dont even if you are getting 188p/w if your under 24 it gets cut to 144 for jobbridge

cee_jay · 09-12-2012 11:42am

triple-M wrote: »

no you dont even if you are getting 188p/w if your under 24 it gets cut to 144 for jobbridge

Your rate isn't changed in any way by doing the internship. You just get €50 on top of your current rate, as eastbono said.
From http://jobbridge.ie/toolkit/faqintern.pdf

You will retain your current social welfare allowance plus an additional €50 per week top-up which will be paid by the Department Social Protection (DSP). This top-up will be paid for the duration of the internship

Roisy7 · 09-12-2012 4:12pm

cee_jay wrote: »

Your rate isn't changed in any way by doing the internship. You just get €50 on top of your current rate, as eastbono said.
From http://jobbridge.ie/toolkit/faqintern.pdf

Yeah that was what I wondering. I turn 24 next February but atm get the reduced rate- would I even be guaranteed getting the extra rate?

I'm a journalism graduate and all internships I can see are jobbridge. And most are in Dublin, and I would have to literally starve to live up there.

Thanks StillWaters, but of course I can't ask that. I read elsewhere on the forum that fuel allowance gets cut with Jobbridge too so even if I did manage to pick up an old jalopy from somewhere I'd have to tax/insure/fuel it. And that would only apply to Cork anyway.

Ahhhhhh I'm just so frustrated and disillusioned with the whole thing. I feel like a right sucker for trying to make a go of this career with zero prospects. Know I'm not the only one but sure.

cee_jay · 09-12-2012 5:25pm

You lose nothing from starting an internship, you get your current rate plus €50. If you are in receipt of fuel allowance, you keep it.

It can affect people getting fuel allowance, as you need to be in receipt of a payment for a certain number of days to qualify for it, but you do not accrue these days while on the internship.

Roisy7 · 09-12-2012 9:48pm

cee_jay wrote: »

You lose nothing from starting an internship, you get your current rate plus €50. If you are in receipt of fuel allowance, you keep it.

It can affect people getting fuel allowance, as you need to be in receipt of a payment for a certain number of days to qualify for it, but you do not accrue these days while on the internship.

But most of the media internships are in cities. So I'm going to have to pay rent or commute. Like I said limericks the only place I can bus it to. My family are suffering too so can't ask for help.

I'm not having a go at you at all but I really don't feel confident about this scheme, I was debating between it and going abroad, but being out the door in 6 months for another intern or getting paid well abroad? Think I was born 40 years too late to make s living out of journalism.

Sorry for spelling, grammar on mobile.

StillWaters · 09-12-2012 11:26pm

I suppose the question is what is the best use of your savings, to eke it out on jobbridge, getting a years journalism experience in ireland, or for a ticket to somewhere where you can get a paid journalism job?

My own advice, for what it's worth is the latter. Journalists and writers are the better for professional and personal experience earned beyond our small island.

Roisy7 · 10-12-2012 11:31am

Thanks StillWaters. Just checked my account today and my savings have dwindled, between paying for graduation up in NUIG and a short break I took with my mum earlier in the year. So no way can I afford to do the Jobbridge tbh, there's not enough there to do six months out of it.

I heard of an opportunity in the UK yesterday as well so will apply for that. Again, there's the issue of getting the money together for a deposit on accommodation. Think I will be saving over Christmas, everyone will be getting bad presents this year lol.

Personally I'm feeling like there's little for me in Ireland anymore. Friends are scattered all around the country, and none of us have any money to visit each other anymore anyway. Plus many are moving abroad. I've left it too late to get an Xmas job now (and nowhere's hiring!) but I wanted to hang on for the 3 months for Jobbridge. Bit of a mistake now.

I suppose I'm just at a crossroads now like everyone else. Sorry for the rant!

Berks · 12-12-2012 10:08am

Perhaps someone has insight here for this question: If before the internship I was entitled to €40 dole (the bare minimum) and I take up a jobbridge..the total would only be €90 (€40 + €50) or would I be entitled to the lower rate which is €144 + €50?

eastbono · 12-12-2012 6:21pm

Berks wrote: »

Perhaps someone has insight here for this question: If before the internship I was entitled to €40 dole (the bare minimum) and I take up a jobbridge..the total would only be €90 (€40 + €50) or would I be entitled to the lower rate which is €144 + €50?

€90 is what you would receive.

unreggd · 04-01-2013 10:33pm

FYI

Individuals aged between 18-24 years of age will be entitled to their base rate of social welfare (either €100 or €144 per week) plus the weekly top-up of €50. They are not entitled to the higher rate of social welfare (€188 per week) when they participate in the National Internship Scheme.

eastbono · 04-01-2013 10:53pm

People on jobbridge receive €50 top up on their existing payment. Therefore if someone is on a means tested payment and they are receiving €40 pw then they will be topped up by €50 and receive €90.

http://www.welfare.ie/EN/Schemes/JobseekerSupports/Pages/internship_jobbridge.aspx

superheymaker · 10-03-2013 7:18pm

Hello I recently started a jobBridge two weeks ago in Cork. It is a assistant managers role but since I have started I spend 40 hours a week scrubing floors and cleaning. Every night I come home I am so tired from lifting and dragging stock all day that I go right to bed and do it all over again the next day. My social life is right out the window because I have no energy to do anything. I get two days off a week but ever back to back so I spend the day I have off doing nothing I cant go home (Waterford) because Im working the next day and I can't go to the pub as I would be hungover the next day in work. Paddys day is coming up and my boss says its the company's busiest day so I must work but it says that anyone on jobbridge has the right to a public holiday, but my boss says if I want manager experience I must work it. Its like im only the assistant manager when it suits the boss and im back to cleaning when im not. I don't know what to do?? Also are we meant to work weekends??? I cant find any information on this???

eastbono · 10-03-2013 7:34pm

Have a look at the following and see if your host company is following the criteria... if not report them to jobbridge and leave your internship. http://www.jobbridge.ie/toolkit/generalguidelines.pdf It clearly states on this that interns are entitled to all public holidays. Print the document off and bring it in to your "mentor".

superheymaker · 10-03-2013 7:44pm

Thanks very much for that

Sue Ellen · 10-03-2013 8:02pm

You can leave Jobbridge with 1 weeks notice from either party. Based on what you are saying this host org is completely taking advantage. this goes against what this scheme is about. I would, as Eastbono says, report them. Then perhaps look for a new internship with an organisation that is not exploiting the scheme.
Good luck.

Balagan · 11-03-2013 5:49am

superheymaker wrote: »

Hello I recently started a jobBridge two weeks ago in Cork. It is a assistant managers role but since I have started I spend 40 hours a week scrubing floors and cleaning. Every night I come home I am so tired from lifting and dragging stock all day that I go right to bed and do it all over again the next day. My social life is right out the window because I have no energy to do anything. I get two days off a week but ever back to back so I spend the day I have off doing nothing I cant go home (Waterford) because Im working the next day and I can't go to the pub as I would be hungover the next day in work. Paddys day is coming up and my boss says its the company's busiest day so I must work but it says that anyone on jobbridge has the right to a public holiday, but my boss says if I want manager experience I must work it. Its like im only the assistant manager when it suits the boss and im back to cleaning when im not. I don't know what to do?? Also are we meant to work weekends??? I cant find any information on this???

Being entitled to public holidays doesn't mean you don't work them, it means you are entitled to a day off in lieu if you have to work them. To be honest what you describe overall is par for the course in such a job let alone a JobBridge internship. Days off are rarely consecutive but you should ask the host organization for that to happen at least once a month or six weeks. As far as the JobBridge criteria is concerned just make sure that you are learning something you didn't know before.

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