Archives 2000-2010 , Services to the Unemployed:

New EU Funded Programme (Supports For Unemployed Women)

Galway City Partnership is delighted to announce that it has secured funding from the European Social Fund (ESF) and Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform and through the Equality for Women Measure as part of the National Women’s Strategy to offer Supports To Unemployed Women in particular areas of Galway City during 2010. The supports, involve a variety of taster courses including Beauty & Nutrition, Photography, Basic Computers and Jewellery Making.

In welcoming the news, Galway City Partnership wished to acknowledge the financial support received by the European Social Fund (ESF), through the Human Capital Investment Programme 2007-2013. For more information on the Human Capital Investment Programme 2007-2013 visit the European Social Fund website http://www.esf.ie/en/hci-overview.aspx

If you would like to find out more about what kinds of supports are open to unemployed women in your area then read on or contact Charlie Currie, Services to the Unemployed with Galway City Partnership Charlie@gcp.ie or telephone (091) 773466.

Galway City Partnership intends to deliver a wide range of information and pre-training supports to unemployed women in Galway City during 2010.

By using a blend of innovative and flexible approaches, GCP hopes to encourage a number of women to take up ‘taster courses’ in their local area. Courses include an introduction to some of the following:

• Jewellery Making
  
• Beauty & Nutrition
  
• Face Painting
  
• Flower Arranging
  
• Photography
  
• Irish for Beginners
  
• Home Cooking
  
• Dance
  
• Basic Computers
  

The first courses will be piloted in one of five RAPID areas in Galway City and if as expected, they prove successful, the programme will be rolled out in the west of the city to help re-establish strong community links amongst unemployed women in that area. The Stage (1) process includes an information and outreach strategy involving local voluntary community fora and Galway City Partnership staff.

The information and outreach to be undertaken in Stage (2) is designed to bring together unemployed women who may not be part of a recognised group with more established members of local women’s groups’. Stages (1) and (2) will lead into a third stage, which consists of a number of taster activities, to be selected by the women themselves, but could be chosen from the above list.

For further information contact Charlie Currie, Co-ordinator Services to the Unemployed GCP – Charlie@gcp.ie or telephone (091) 773466.

Download Supports For Unemployed Women In Two Word Format Files:

Download Document One

Download Document Two

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Opportunities In An Economic Downturn:

• Need to improve your job seeking skills?
• Ever considered self-employment?
• Feel you might require re-skilling?
• Have you considered a return to education?

  Galway City Partnership : A tide for change

Click here to download - Opportunities In An Economic Downturn?

Back to Work Enterprise Area Allowance Scheme:

A Department of Social and Family Affairs initiative…. and run by Galway City Partnership, this scheme offers support to individuals who wish to start their own businesses. It allows participants to retain benefits on a sliding scale, over a four-year period, and also offers further support such as training programmes, mentoring and small grants.
For information phone Oonagh 091 77 34 66
or e-mail: oonagh@gcp.ie

One Parent Family:

‘Towards A better Future’

Report highlights challenges facing
one parent families in their quest to return to work

The research, undertaken in Galway City and County by the NUI Galway Child and Family Research Centre, was launched today in Galway by Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Éamon Ó Cuív T.D.

Dr Michelle Millar who headed the research team from the Child and Family Research Centre at NUI Galway said, “The research clearly shows a willingness on the part of these parents to work outside the home. Yet their decision to do so is affected both by their concerns surrounding how going out to work will impact on their children, and being able to find suitable, part time flexible employment. Also the lack of affordable and accessible childcare, and the poverty trap created by the rent supplement mean that for many of those who parent alone, finding work that leaves them financially better off is extremely difficult.”

The research is the first of its kind in Ireland and took place in the context of major proposed policy changes. The Government Discussion Paper: Proposals for Supporting Lone Parents suggests that policy changes are likely to involve major reform in welfare support for those parenting alone. The proposals would incorporate conditionality in payment, with those parenting alone expected to begin connecting to the labour market as their children approach the upper age limit for payment of the Parental Allowance.

Speaking at the launch, Elaine Harvey, Chair of the One Parent Family Research Steering Group said, “The parents view themselves, first and foremost, as primary carers for their children, and because of their circumstances, affordable childcare and a flexible attitude from employers are just as important as getting an actual job. It is clear from the research that those parenting alone want to work – the challenge for all of us is to identify with parents their individual blocks to employment, education and training, and then to develop realistic pathways to overcoming the obstacles identified. We believe that this activation process should be voluntary and note that 46% of those who participated in the survey had looked for work in the past 12 months.”

Minister Ó Cuív said, “Lone parents face many challenges in today's society of which returning to the workplace is just one. This research will help inform policy makers and indeed employers about the particular challenges facing lone parents and ways in which they can be helped."

The research was undertaken to address the lack of reliable information about the reality of life for those parenting alone in Galway City and County. It included interviews and questionnaires with parents, policy makers and service providers and found that poverty and child wellbeing will only be addressed if the family’s financial situation improves as a result of going back to work. 

Declan Brassil, Galway City Partnership Manager said, “One of the primary barriers is the lack of flexible employment which will result in increased income. Parents encounter difficulties in securing flexible, high quality, well paid employment which is part-time and family friendly, and takes account of school hours and school holidays. This is even more difficult for those parents located in rural areas. The report recommends that employers should be consulted in order to understand the demand for flexible, part-time work and that local employers be encouraged to engage with the One Parent Family Research Steering Group.”

The report found that additional, affordable, community based childcare facilities should be provided, and creative ways in which care can be provided outside the home for older children and young adolescents need to be explored and fostered. 

Parents want to engage in training and education but it needs to be at a time that suits them and their children, with a preference for part-time courses run locally while children are in school. Parents living in rural areas need training to take place locally. Education and training providers should explore the possibility of including work placement or supervised work experience which would support individuals in their role as parents.

Some parents found dealing with organisations and agencies quite difficult as they were not forthcoming with information about entitlements and services, although a number of participants spoke of having a positive experience when dealing with statutory service providers. The report recommends that a booklet and internet site containing information for those parenting alone be published, and distributed by the Department of Social and Family Affairs (DSFA) to all those currently in receipt of One Parent Family Payment (OPFP). The booklet and site should contain information regarding benefits, entitlements, education and training opportunities, supports for re-entering the labour market, and all relevant contact details for agencies who work with those parenting alone.

Locally based support groups in Galway City and County should be established where those parenting alone can support one another in a non-judgmental and positive environment.

Differences between the experiences of urban and rural lone parents were also found. These centred largely around access and mobility as many jobs, services and educational programmes are based in Galway City and larger towns in County Galway making it more difficult for lone parents living in rural areas. It also found that social support networks are vital, with grandparents and other family members playing an important support role for many lone parents.

The survey was sent to the 3,144 recipients of the One Parent Family Payment in Galway City and County and 676 (22%) were returned.

Click here to download; Full Report or Executive Summary.

Galway City Partnership: Invitation to Tender - Contract for Service to deliver Start Your Own Business Course.Galway City.

Partnership is a local development organisation operating a range of programmes including the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme in Galway City.Our Aims are:

The Services to the Unemployed Measure of the Partnership is now seeking suitably experienced tutors for the delivery of a number of Start Your Own Business courses- to long-term unemployed people – who are eligible for the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance Scheme.

Course Content:

The course content should include- Legal structures, Marketing, Selling, Advertising, Pricing, Business planning, Tax, Keeping accounts, Cash-flow and Presentation skills.

Duration:

The training will consist of one half-day session of 3.5 hours weekly over 8 weeks. It is expected that up to four or five courses will run throughout the year in the offices of Galway City Partnership. However, one course is expected to run for ten mornings over two consecutive weeks in June 2008.

Tender Criteria:

Tenders should be forwarded to Oonagh Monaghan by 5-00pm on Thursday 15th May 2008. Tenders may be submitted by post to Galway City Partnership, 3 The Plaza Offices, Headford Road, Galway or electronically to oonagh@gcp.ie

A Panel may be formed of suitable tutors.

Innovative Employment Project for Ex-Prisoners Launched in Galway:

An exciting new project called “You’re Equal” will be launched in Galway this week. The overall aim of the ‘You’re Equal’ project is to maximise employment opportunities for prisoners and ex-prisoners through the development and mainstreaming of integrated, appropriate training, mentoring and guidance services and associated research and dissemination to influence the employment sector and inform policy within the prison sector.

Co-financed through the European Social Fund, the Community Initiative EQUAL II is designed to test new ways of tackling discrimination and inequality experienced by those in work and those seeking work. Priority is given to human resources development, in particular vocational integration of disadvantaged groups in the labour market and the improvement of lifelong learning and the creation of new jobs.

For this project; “You’re Equal”, this means improving employability for those who have experienced imprisonment. ‘You’re Equal’ has; established, developed and is maintaining a strong and effective partnership over the three years period of the project in order to identify and pilot innovative approaches that will address the needs of ex-prisoners.

There are 16 organisations signed up to the “You’re Equal” Development Partnership (DP) made up from representatives from agencies within the following areas; Statutory, Community, Voluntary and Partnership Companies.

The representatives come from a diverse and varied background with one common aim: the inclusion of ex-prisoners in the employment market.

Mentors are employed as part of the ‘YOU’RE EQUAL’ Programme, to work with the participants pre-release and post-release in Cork and in Castlerea covering the catchment areas of both prisons.

The launch will take place on Wednesday 13th September in the Galway Bay Hotel and will be attended by the Lord Mayor of Galway Cllr. Niall O Brolchain.

For more information; www.youreequal.com or email tommyequal@eircom.net
Phone: Castlerea 0949621441 or Galway 091764886.

Development of Community Resource Centres:

Galway City Partnership support community groups in the City in the development of Resource Centres. The Partnership was previously very active in supporting the development of the Ballybane Community Resource Centre which is now up and running. A range of community facilities and meeting rooms are available and further information can found by contacting Una at 091-76 83 00
Information about this initiative from Colette at 091 77 34 66
or email Colette@gcp.ie

Back to Work Enterprise Area Allowance Scheme:

A Department of Social and Family Affairs initiative…. and run by Galway City Partnership, this scheme offers support to individuals who wish to start their own businesses. It allows participants to retain benefits on a sliding scale, over a four-year period, and also offers further support such as training programmes, mentoring and small grants.
For information phone Oonagh 091 77 34 66
or e-mail: oonagh@gcp.ie

Whole-time Jobs Initiative:

This scheme provides full-time work for people over 35 years of age, who have been unemployed for at least five years. The scheme combines work and training, and participants work with community groups.
Information from Grace by calling her at 091 76 38 45
or e-mail: grace@gcp.ie

Access Music Project (AMP)

AMP is a Community Employment Scheme through which unemployed people acquire the skills, knowledge and training they require to find work in the music industry, or to access further education.

Information about AMP is available from Eilish on
091 56 53 42 or e-mail: amp@gcp.ie Or Access our website on:
http://www.accessmusicproject.ie

Social Economy:

Social Economy is a type of community enterprise, which creates real jobs whilst at the same time, meeting a social need within the community. Set-up support, mentoring, rent subsidy, business-training courses, capital grants and loan financing are available to support the development of these groups.

Further information from Celine, phone: 091-77 34 66
Or e-mail: mc@gcp.ie

Accessing Computer Technology:

Galway City Partnership provides Information Technology equipment to 5 outlets in RAPID areas to allow easy access to GCP target groups by enhancing accessibility within Community Centres.

Each Centre will provide open access for general use at agreed times & training specific to the needs of each Community as required, subject to funding.

For details as to when IT centres are open to the public please make contact through the above telephone numbers.

Career Pathways:

A Galway City Partnership Training Development Initiative. Initially set up in 2003 with FAS funding as an innovative recruitment opportunity. The Programme will continue in 2004 under GCP Programme of Activities.
Career Pathways aims to enhance the employability of the Long-term unemployed. It focuses on Personal and Career Development and provides lead-in training, encompassing the skills required to enable participants develop credible work experience for a period of 12 weeks.

The Programme enhanced accessibility to employment for individuals who have been out of the workforce for a long period of time but who have the skills which if developed can ensure an effective work placement. Participants were provided with the skills required to enhance their ability to secure employment whilst ensuring ongoing support was in place for participants and employers.

The interactive training and practical self-help makes participants more aware of their potential and enables them to realise this potential to the full. Employers have an opportunity to place and ultimately employ participants.
30 local businesses expressed an interest and this continues to develop.

Galway Adult Learner Guidance Service:

This Service is a Pilot Initiative of the Department of Education and Science, and is jointly funded by Galway City Partnership, and run in co-operation with City of Galway VEC. The Service provides guidance to adults needing support in deciding on their education and training needs, and is based in the LES office at 122 Bohermore.

Information on this work is available from Seamus Morrissey at
091 77 34 66 or by e-mail: seamus@gcp.ie

Community Employment Network:

The Local CE Network has been set-up as part of the CE Framework Agreement, developed locally between the Partnership and FAS. It aims to support the Supervisors and Participants on CE Schemes, in order that they might receive the necessary supports in their work and training.
Information is available from Breda on 091 77 34 66 .
or e-mail: breda@gcp.ie