Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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256. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a report (details supplied) which highlighted that one in four employees stating they suffered from moderate levels of burnout, vicarious trauma and moderate or high levels of “compassion fatigue”; if he will acknowledge the disparity between contracts for teachers and coordinators and managers of the organisation, with the former having clearly defined roles in terms of time, pay and conditions, while the organisation’s coordinators’ work is not specified in their contracts and their pay is lower; if he plans to examine this with a view to recognising the diversity of work that the organisation’s workers carry out; if he will consider establishing equivalent levels of pay, conditions and status as their secondary education, further education and training sector colleagues; if he will outline a timeframe for such a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23383/23]

Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of the research report independently published by Maynooth University in January 2023, which found Youthreach employees reporting higher levels of positive emotions and relationships in work than those in school sector studies while also finding 25% reporting moderate levels of burnout.

Youthreach is a further education and training programme for early school leavers which aims to provide young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to participate fully in society and progress to further education, training and employment. The Youthreach programme is staffed by Co-ordinators, Resource Persons and teachers with nationally agreed terms and conditions of employment. They have specific, clearly defined job descriptions. which were designed very much with the programmes structure in mind. Template contracts of employment for Youthreach were negotiated and agreed by all stakeholders.

A union representing Youthreach Coordinators and Resource Persons has submitted a claim in respect of both grades. Officials from my Department and the Department of Education have been engaging with the union on the matter under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.