Harney progresses Job Initiative Programme

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Mary Harney has announced the introduction of a new position of Team Leader on the Job Initiative Programme, which will be put in place by FÁS in the near future.

Making the announcement the Tánaiste said that a potential 90 new openings would be created on the Job Initiative Programme and that the creation of this new position would provide essential management, administrative and operational support for the management of Job Initiative projects.

She added: "This will facilitate more effective training and development structures, and improve the overall service to participants. I am confident that this in turn will improve participants' prospects to progress to employment in the open labour market or to other positive outcomes, following their term on the programme.

"The new position of Team Leader will be a permanent full-time feature of the programme for its duration and will not be subject to progression off the programme, as is the case with participants on completing three years. This will provide Managing Agents with the continuity of service and expertise which is necessary to manage Job Initiative projects more effectively in the future."

The Tánaiste added that the initiative recognises that the day to day management and administration of Job Initiative projects imposes a considerable burden on managing agents, many of whom are community and voluntary organisations who are operating on a non-profit making basis.

Job Initiative is funded by the Exchequer and administered by FÁS. The programme currently has 2,875 places providing full-time employment for three years for persons who are over 35 years of age, who have previously been unemployed for five years or more and in receipt of an appropriate social welfare payment over that period.

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