Ms Caroline Kennedy:

I am a member of the SIPTU national job clubs committee. I am based in Limerick where I am the job clubs co-ordinator. I will run through some aspects of how we operate and what we do on a day to day basis.

The job clubs service is a community based not-for-profit model. The local employment service, LES, and job clubs are local supports for jobseekers that match clients with employment, education and training opportunities within their locality. The LES operates in 25 areas, while the job clubs operate in over 40 locations throughout Ireland. Ours is a public employment contracted service which is operating successfully with a not-for-profit ethos. We are based in the heart of communities throughout the country, with local offices in communities such as Moyross and Mayfield, urban centres like Clondalkin and more rural areas in counties such as Kerry and Mayo. As both services are rooted in the community, it enables them to have a greater insight into the needs of the individual and the community and issues that may impact on the employability of the individual. We have built a wealth of local knowledge of the local services and supports available to the individual. This allows for collaborative working relationships between multiple services.

The LES and job clubs work with clients in using a person-centred approach, with the emphasis on providing a range of personalised, tailor-made supports. We support our clients in availing of informal and formal certified training programmes. Many clients also take the first step back into employment through engaging in various labour market programmes such as the community employment scheme, the rural social scheme, RSS, and Tús. The LES and job clubs support clients to make this progression. The LES has worked with Departments to deliver specific training programmes to meet employer and client needs, thus securing sustainable employment for clients in their locality. The community employment scheme, RSS and Tús programme are the backbone of many services operating in communities. It is often in these services that the routine of getting back to work, building confidence and having a sense of belonging and purpose creates the stepping stone to further training and employment. The supports available to jobseekers through the LES and job clubs include progression planning, guidance and mediation, addressing barriers and building confidence, training and education, as well as access to labour market programmes such as Tús and the community employment scheme. We also provide assistance through practical job search supports such as designing CVs, interview preparation and mock interviews, as well as through post-employment supports, providing access to financial support and information provision.

The recent Indecon report acknowledged that unemployment levels had fallen nationally. According to the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection, Deputy Regina Doherty, the unemployment rate currently stand at 5.3%. However, our experience as practitioners on the ground shows that there continues to be a client group which is very distant from the labour market. Those in this group often present with multiple barriers to employment which can include having no work history, limited educational attainment, limited English language skills, homelessness, low literacy levels, lack of confidence and low self-esteem, age, transport access difficulties, lack of childcare supports, ill health and, in some instances, addictions. The currently favoured “work first” approach, where only full-time employment for more than 30 hours is considered to be progression, is extremely difficult for those who are encountering a variety of barriers. This is where both formal and informal supports are required to work with the individual. The LES and job clubs recognise that the career progression journey for those who are most distant from the labour market begins with the focus on working with the clients where they are at, using a person-centred approach.

The Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed, INOU, services research report of 2016 recognised the expertise the LES had developed in supporting people who were long-term unemployed. The report notes that a good example of effective inter-agency and organisational work is the link with local job clubs.

The employees of both the LES and job clubs are highly qualified, trained and experienced with a vast range of local labour market knowledge, established successful networks and work in the heart of the community. Both services have a workforce that is adaptable, innovative and values the empowerment and person-centred approach towards sustainable employment. LES and job clubs have a proven track record of responding to the needs of Government; through our flexibility and adaptability we have proven that we are responsive, proactive and with the ability to meet the evolving demands of those who are unemployed – this is evidenced through the increased capacity of clients who were referred to the services during the height of the recession.

As the Indecon report states, the objective of the job clubs is to provide a range of services and supports for jobseekers and for employers. There are four elements to this service: formal workshop training; one to one engagement; CV preparation; and, a drop-in service. Clients are referred to engage in these supports through the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the local employment service.

Formal workshop training covers a variety of topics including identifying individual client skills and local job opportunities; understanding the interview process; CV preparation; application forms; using the Internet to search for job; and, group participation and motivation. The one to one engagement that is provided offers practical and personal support to clients on a one to one basis and this can include everything from structuring CVs, job applications, job coaching and pre-interview support. The clients are assisted with the preparation of their CV. This is often the initial engagement in the activation process for clients. Many clients avail of the drop-in service where they can use the facilities and resources such as Internet access, computers, phones, printing and they can also use the JobsIreland website. Most of our facilities around the country were very busy last week with clients preparing for the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's National Jobs Week, with jobs fairs running throughout the country. Our facilities enable clients of the service to be ready to properly engage with potential employers at the job fairs.

The Indecon report states that the clients surveyed for the report on their experiences with job clubs agreed their response rate exceeded typical response rates, showing that 21.5% of clients responded to the survey. The results speak for themselves. Some 80% of clients said the job clubs supports had improved their prospects of getting employment; 79% of respondents stated that their engagement had motivated them to find work or undertake further education and training; 77% of clients said their participation boosted their self-esteem and self-confidence; 26% received assistance to find work for more than 30 hours per week; and 23% received assistance to find work under 30 hours per week. These statistics demonstrate the positive impact that job clubs have on clients who engage with us and are supported in their journey towards employment.

The Indecon report further highlights the positive relationships we have developed throughout the country with employers. Some 79% of employers said that job clubs helped their company to find suitable candidates for available jobs; 81% of employers established effective ongoing relationships with job clubs staff; 86% of employers became knowledgeable of the support services available to them; 75% of employers gained employees who perform well and are reliable; and, 60% of employers filled vacancies they could not fill otherwise.

Let us consider the impact on the unemployment rate by job clubs and the local employment service. In January 2012, the unemployment rate stood at 16%. Through the combined work of Intreo, the local employment service and the job clubs, the rate fell to 9.3% by the summer of 2015. This equates to a reduction of 6.7% and is prior to the introduction of the Department's for profit employment model.

I will hand over to my colleague, Mr. Donal Coffey, who will speak about the local employment service.