Community Employment Scheme

IRD Duhallow Community Employment Scheme

Our CE scheme has been operational for over 20 years and historically covered the communities of Ballydaly, Boherbue, Banteer, Lyre, Kilcorney and Dromtariffe as well as some specific community enterprises in Newmarket. This past year, we have been tasked with increasing our scheme to take in the communities of Kiskeam, Ballydesmond, Knocknagree and Cullen. This has seen our scheme numbers jump from 23 to 46 and we now also have an Assistant Supervisor Position.

The expansion of the scheme is welcome, as it has afforded us the opportunity to integrate our services across a wider region which ensures enhanced opportunities for both participants and our communities.

Our scheme assists participants in bridging the gap between longterm unemployment and the open labour market. It is characterised by offering paid work on a temporary contract, together with training, personal development and job search activities while simultaneously benefitting rural communities with access to labour to support volunteer and community led activities. The key components of the scheme are enhancing confidence and preparing long term unemployed to enter mainstream employment.

Our scheme offers opportunities in Caretaking, Park Assistants, Furniture Restoration, Administration, Accounts, Community Laundry, Community Kitchen, Village Tidy Towns, Insulation Operatives, Meals on Wheels, Laundry Drivers and Counter Assistant.

This past year has been a most challenging one for everyone, and we are fortunate that our participants stepped up to support our rural communities during the Covid 19 pandemic. IRD Duhallow remained fully operational during this time, with the majority of our staff and scheme participants continuing to work.

Philip Casey maintaining community green areas in Knocknagree.

Julia McAuliffe ensures that the Community Gym in Ballydesmond is kept and maintained to the highest of standards.

Participant Development through Training

IRD Duhallow continues to run its scheme with long term job prospects

Timothy Tarrant is based in Dromtariffe. One of his responsibilities is to maintain the grounds around the Community Hall. for participants in mind. Through our Job centre, we identify the needs of local employers in order to focus training in areas where real job opportunities exist locally. The supervisor works with each participant in developing a specific training plan tailored to the abilities of each participant.

Training and retraining is a key focus of our community employment scheme. We are fortunate to have

access to the IRD Duhallow Skillnet training programme which runs a suite of training courses locally and online. In line with the CE regulations of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection all training courses have a QQI FETAC, City and Guilds or other Certificate qualification.

Over the past year participants took part in Manual Handling, Payroll, Driver Certificate of Professional Competency, Desktop Publishing, Interview skills, Site Dumper, Training Delivery and Evaluation, HACCP, Safe Pass courses. All of the courses undertaken by participants are certified through SOLAS, QQI or City and Guilds. This past year, four of our participants progressed onto employment.

CE Rehabilitation Scheme

Many of those recovering from addiction in Duhallow find themselves facing a difficult job market. In some instances, they cannot return to the same workplace they left before they started their rehabilitation or were unemployed for a long period of time in advance of entering. A person ’ s capability of gaining initial employment, maintaining employment and obtaining new employment while in recovery poses a difficulty for many of those in recovery from addiction. As a result there is often a serious danger that the recovery efforts will unravel and lead to relapse. IRD Duhallow has recently been approved a CE Drug Rehabilitation scheme for the region with 7 participants and 1 Supervisor. The overall objective will be to provide opportunities for people in recovery from substance misuse to re-engage into their communities and activate them for entry to the labour market. The scheme will assist in bridging the gap between long-term unemployment and the open labour market. It is envisaged that the new scheme will empower these people who are in recovery to grow in confidence in their own employability, acquire new skills and engage more effectively with the labour market whilst also positively attributing to their mental health.

CE Supervisor Paddy O’Connor and IRD Duhallow CEO Maura Walsh presenting a bouquet of flowers to Sheila Fogarty on her retirement from the scheme.

Throughout the year many of our participants are involved in supporting the local tidy towns committees in their work. Pictured here, Catherine O’Donoghue undertaking painting work in Kiskeam.

IRD Duhallow Rural Social Scheme

IRD Duhallow manages the local delivery of the Rural Social Scheme (RSS) on behalf of the Department of Social Protection. The aim of the scheme is to provide income support for farmers who are in receipt of certain long-term Department of Social Protection payments. The other key aim is to provide certain services of benefit to rural communities by harnessing the skills and talents of RSS participants. IRD Duhallow has a quota of 60 RSS participants who undertake a broad range of communitybased work for 19.5 hours per week. Participants are assigned work based on their skillset and interests. IRD Duhallow accepts applications from host community and voluntary groups for work projects that are compatible with the objectives of the RSS.

Criteria For Farmers

To be eligible for the RSS the person must have an active herd or flock number from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine. A copy of the application for the EU Single Payment Scheme for the current year (which includes a valid herd number) must also be provided. They must also be in receipt of one of the following allowances from the Department of Social Protection:

• Farm Assist; • Unemployment Assistance; • Disability Allowance; • One-Parent Family Payment; • Widow (ers) Pension, both Contributory and Non-Contributory; • Be under 66 and a Qualified Adult Dependant of a recipient of the

Non-Contributory Old Age Pension;

If a child/sibling of a herd number owner and can verify that they are resident and/or working on the farm and they are getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments, they may be eligible to participate in the RSS on the basis of their parent’ s/sibling ’ s herd number. If they are a dependent spouse, civil partner or cohabitant of a herd number owner they can take the available place. Alternatively, if a spouse, civil partner or cohabitant is getting one of the qualifying social welfare payments and is actively farming, they can use your herd number to qualify for the scheme. A farmers spouse, civil partner or cohabitant can participate in the RSS, if he/she is under 66 and you are getting a State Pension (NonContributory) which includes an Increase for Qualified Adult for him or her.

Mary Kelleher hanging the beautiful flower baskets that she prepared herself at the sheltered housing in Kilcorney. Michael Lynch painting the fence of the grotto in Inchigeelagh.

Participants undertaking a chainsaw course which is necessary for many of the work requests we receive as well as providing maintenance on our many walks.

Testimonial - Tadgh Curtin

I was given the opportunity to come on RSS and work on the Discover Duhallow Magazine. We have a farm at home so I am able to help my parents with that as well as flex my creative skills through graphic design and media writing. I also enjoyed coordinating the filming of interviews for the Ability Group as part of one of their projects. I have had tremendous experience so far and enjoy my work. It made me realise RSS has changed over the years, it is not just one thing, it has the capacity to adapt to many different avenues in today’s landscape.

Community Support

The RSS directly facilitates a collaboration with volunteers in communities throughout Duhallow providing vital assistance for village renewal and maintenance works of community centres, sheltered housing, sports facilities, amenities etc. Furthermore, participants contribute to services that enhance the independence and participation of older people to live in dignity and independence in their own homes and communities for as long as possible e.g. delivering meals through Duhallow, Community Food Service and providing a friendly phone call service for older people who aren ’t in regular contact with neighbours, family or friends. This has been particularly important during the Pandemic. Those who were cocooning and using the phone call service were also made aware of the other supports and services available through IRD Duhallow including the rural meals and laundry services. Fuel, grocery shopping and prescription deliveries were also undertaken by RSS participants during this time.

Walks Maintenance

RSS participants are crucial in the maintenance and upkeep of all walking trails in Duhallow including: Claragh, Mt. Hillary, Mullaghareirk and the Source of the Blackwater Looped walks, all of which are accredited by the National Trails Office. There has been a remarkable increase in the number of people using walking trails to exercise and keep fit, while respecting the guidelines on social distancing during the COVID-19 crisis. During periods of level 5 restrictions people didn ’t let the closure of gyms and classes limit their ability to exercise and used their local trails within their 5km. However, the surge in trail usage meant that there was additional maintenance works required including signage repair and cleaning, the erection of stiles, markers, fingerposts, rubbish bins, gates etc. The Department of Rural and Community Development conducted a Review of the Delivery, Funding and Strategic Development of the Walks