SOME 70 per cent of unemployed young people who have taken part in a new initiative to tackle joblessness among under-25s have moved off social welfare and into employment or training.
Details of the Work Winner initiative in Co Tipperary are due to be presented this week at a conference aimed at exploring new ways of tackling youth unemployment across Europe.
Latest official EU figures show that around 29 per cent of young people – or 80,000 under-25s – are out of work in Ireland, a rate twice that of the general population.
More than 100 young people have so far taken part in the scheme which began in 2009 and targets those most at risk of long-term unemployment such as early school leavers.
It is a 30-week, full-time programme which supports young people to develop their employability through training and work experience. Those who complete work experience are entitled to continue to receive their welfare payments, along with expenses of €32 per week, for up to 18 weeks.
Of those who have taken part in the Work Winner scheme, more than 50 per cent have gone on to get a job in the private sector, while a further 20 per cent have progressed into education or training, said Donal Kelly of the Tipperary Regional Youth Service.
“The big difference with what we do is that everything is focused around the individual,” said Mr Kelly, co-ordinator of the Work Winner initiative.
“We find work or training that a young person is interested in. And we stand by them if it doesn’t work out. It’s more time-consuming and labour-intensive, but that’s where you get results.”
The scheme was designed and run by Tipperary Regional Youth Services. It also involves the Department of Social Protection, South Tipperary Vocational Education Committee and the South Tipperary Development Company.
Mr Kelly said there had been a positive response from employers who in many cases have offered full-time jobs to participants following their work experience.
“A lot of it is about managing expectations. For many of these young people it’s their first experience of working. They’re not the finished article, and there can be issues with attendance and how to behave in the workplace.
“But the young people who take part are very keen to learn, and you see their confidence building up very quickly.”
One of the participants, Kevin Purcell (19) from Cashel, recently started the course.
He had been looking for a job for more than a year after completing his Leaving Cert. He is currently completing work experience at a butchers in Tipperary town and is hopeful of getting a full-time job.
“I love working. It keeps you going, it’s something to look forward to. It keeps you motivated. There’s nothing worse than having nothing to do,” Mr Purcell said.
“It’s hard to get a job because employers want people with experience. And we’re only starting off,” said Carrie Crochet, (20) from Cashel, who is getting work experience in a hair salon in the town. “With the course it’s giving us a chance to make something of our lives.”
This week’s three-day conference in Tipperary aims to provide an overview into what types of interventions are working across Europe in order to support young jobseekers.
Experts from countries such as Greece – at 50 per cent it has one of the highest rates of youth unemployment – and Sweden – where youth unemployment is just over 20 per cent – are due to discuss what methods are working in their countries.
