On the 10th of September, Robbie Kelly from the INOU Welfare Rights Section gave a presentation to the Saol Clubhouse in Finglas, on Back to Work Supports for some 25 people in receipt of payments such as Invalidity Pension, Disability Allowance and Illness Benefit.
The Clubhouse enables its members to return to paid work through Transitional Employment, Supported Employment and Independent Employment. The Clubhouse, operating under the EVE programme within the HSE, offers life-long membership and support to members in leading a socially and economically productive life in the community. Clubhouse activities are focused around the Clubhouses' work units and social programmes, governed by the Clubhouse standards.
The event was very well attended and both the Clubhouse and the INOU hope to organise similar visits into the future.
The Kildare Leader Partnership, in conjunction with the DEASP, held an Information Fair in The Community Space, Maynooth, on the 11/9/18. The INOU had two information officers, Tom McMahon and Robbie Kelly, on duty for what was a busy morning due to the high turnout of invitees.
It was also the first event to feature the latest edition of the INOU’s flagship publication, Working for Work, which was in great demand among both the attendees and exhibitors alike.
Jobcare held a Career Clinic in their offices on Gardiner Street in Dublin on the 28/9/18.
The event started at 10am and ran until 12.30pm. The morning consisted of 5 individual sessions lasting 30 minutes apiece, and Robbie Kelly from the Welfare Rights section provided information on back to work supports, secondary benefits, back to education options and business start-up supports such as the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance.
As part of its free service and support to various groups, the INOU has participated in many such clinics with Jobcare, and, as always the morning was well managed with a very enthusiastic group of attendees presenting with a wide range of queries in relation to their jobseeking activities and options.
The DEASP held an Information and Job Opportunities event in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dundalk, in support of the people made redundant by the recent closure of the Authentic Food Company. The INOU had two officers, Ivor Quinn and Robbie Kelly, on hand to provide information on redundancy, jobseekers payments and secondary benefits. The morning was very well organised, with a full attendance of invitees.
The Kildare Leader Partnership, in association with Kildare Local Employment Services, run The Kickstart Programme, which is a back to work initiative supporting unemployed people. The programme consists of 6 weeks job skill training and a further 6 weeks of job placement.
Robbie Kelly from the Welfare Rights of the INOU has regularly given presentations relating to back to work supports to participants, and on 6/11/18 was again in the Monread Community Centre, Naas, to provide information on a variety of social welfare payments and secondary benefits.