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In recent years, we have welcomed those from foreign shores coming to Ireland seeking a new life and new opportunities. Now the tide is turning with many people leaving Ireland to start work in Australia, U.S. or Canada. Some are seeking adventure, a broadening of horizons while others are driven abroad by the economic downturn to find employment elsewhere.
Inishowen Development Partnership has decided to offer a one day workshop as the whole process of emigrating can be complex and confusing. Which is the correct visa? How can I get medical cover? Can I use my current driving licence? Should I ‘tweak’ my CV to suit the Australian market? How can I find out about job vacancies in Australia? Can I look for positions while I am still in Ireland?
Raymond Doherty who is a Community Representative on the Board of Directors of Inishowen Development Partnership is the driving force behind the workshop. Raymond has a son who is currently in Australia. He knows from first-hand experience the obstacles which have to be faced. “People often mistakenly assume that it is simply a matter of filling in a form. For some visas, it is necessary to consult the Skilled Occupational List or refer to the National Harvest Guide. The idea of this workshop is to make it easier and simpler for those thinking of emigrating. ”
“I myself have spent many years working overseas. I was employed by the bank in Dublin, London and New York. If you really want to get the travel bug out of your system now is the time to do it. It will be great to add to your CV when you get back,” says Virginia Byrne, one of the organisers of the programme.
John McCarter, Chairperson of Inishowen Development Partnership, outlines that the day is designed to help participants learn more about the application process and find out about the Australian job market. Practical assistance will be provided in completing forms and in designing a CV. It will also allow those taking part to share information with each other. It is hoped it will be both an enjoyable and enlightening day.
While Marie Monahan, the other organiser of the programme stresses that the main emphasis of the Job Club is to help people to find employment locally, she adds “While there are many jobs in Australia, it is still important to have an impressive CV and be prepared for the interview as it is still a competitive job market”.
We also believe that it is important not to overlook the family left at home. Hence, the staff of the Computer Suite at Inishowen Development Partnership, Kathleen Gormley, Angela McDaid and Mary O’Donnell, can provide instruction on how to use email and other internet techniques to keep in touch with their far flung children or siblings.
The workshops will take place on Wednesday 10th March in the Job Club Inishowen Development Partnership and on Friday 19th March at Inishowen Development Partnership, Carndonagh. The day will run from 10.00 am to 3.30 pm. For further information or to book a place please contact Aisling Sheehy on 074 9361376, email: jobclubbuncrana@eircom.net or drop into the Job Club office at Inishowen Development Partnership, St Mary’s Road, Buncrana.
Several Inishowen women have joined Donegal Women in Business Network which supports all women in the county who work in a business, run their own business or who are thinking of starting a new business.
The Network was created in 1999 when an open meeting attracted more than 50 women. Since then the Women in Business Network has been supported by Donegal County Enterprise Board and membership has grown to over 90.
Membership is open to women working in all business sectors and includes Finance, Marketing, Retail, Health & Beauty, Design and Tourism. There are several Inishowen women on the Board of the Network: Annmarie Doherty of Greencastle-based Doherty White Digital Marketing and PR is President of the Network and Joan Heaney of Adopt HR, Moville and Rosemary Lyons, Enterprise Officer with Inishowen Development Partnership are both Officers on the Committee.
“We would like to see more women from Inishowen joining the network in 2010,” said Annmarie. “The network is a great forum for women to meet, discuss issues affecting their business and help each other connect with potential customers and suppliers”.
The Women in Business Network hosts monthly networking events with expert speakers on subjects such as ‘Social Media Marketing and Networking’ and ‘Stress Management and Relaxation’.
However there are also more light-hearted events such as cookery demonstrations and projecting the right image for women in business. The next major event will be held in Letterkenny on March 10th as part of Enterprising Donegal Week 2010. The guest speaker will be Kilcar native Margaret Sweeney, who is Chief Executive of Postbank.
Annual membership to the Donegal Women in Business costs just €50 with most events free of charge to members. To join, or for further information please contact Celine Carroll, Network Secretary, at Donegal County Enterprise Board on 0749160735 or email ccarroll@donegalenterprise.ie
The SCEPW is a women’s community-based education project based in Co. Donegal. It was set up in 1996 to meet the educational needs of women.
In Inishowen, the SCEPW under the Equality for Women measure is carried out in collaboration with Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP). The aim is to identify the needs of women in the area and deliver a support service to increase their opportunities to access training and employment. A Neighbourhood Work approach is used which involves meeting women one to one in their own homes providing encouragement and support to participate in life-long learning.
The project is linked with IDP Job Club and Donegal VEC Adult Guidance Service. It supports women to become more active in society and combats social exclusion. It moves women from feeling isolated and disempowered to feeling confident and empowered. It provides an opportunity for women to receive career guidance support, small group training, and taster sessions. Women are given the space to meet, share ideas and become aware of options regarding training/employment.
A New Year New You course will start on 24th February and run for six weeks 10am-12pm at Inishowen Development Partnership in Carndonagh. Topics to be covered include positive assertiveness, affirmations, positive thinking, goal setting and dealing with conflict.
You can check this website regularly for further updates on training opportunities.
Contact
Outreach Worker: Maria Mc Conalogue
Address: Inishowen Development Partnership, St. Mary’s Road, Buncrana, Co. Donegal.
Telephone: mobile 083 3557092
Email: maria2ndchanceeducation@gmail.com
The project is funded by the European Social Fund (ESF), through The Human Capital Investment Operational Programme and the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform under the Equality for Women Measure and the National Women’s Strategy.
‘Youth 52 – Securing the Future’ is a three year project worth €642,357 funded under the European Union’s PEACE III Programme. The project, which will bring young people together to explore their common history, diverse cultures and aspirations for the future through a series of workshops, presentations, and outdoor pursuits, is being delivered by Inishowen Development Partnership together with Farset Youth and Community Limited. Participants will follow nine programmes of activity in total, each lasting 13 weeks.
Programme one will run from June to September 2009 and will involve 21 participants - seven from Buncrana Youth Club in Donegal, seven from Tullycarnet Youth Club in Belfast and seven from Corpus Christi Youth Club in Belfast.
The young people to date have participated in single identity workshops, which have challenged sectarian attitudes by looking at stereotypes and focusing on the young people’s own identity. At the ‘getting to know each other’ workshops, the young people have begun to forge new relationships with young people from different backgrounds and discuss some of the contentious issues. The young people have visited Fort Dunree in Donegal and the Somme Centre in Belfast, to begin their learning of the shared history of World Wars I and II.
The central aspect of the programme will be for the group to participate in the OCN Level 1 accredited Conflict Transformation and the Messines Experience programme as developed by the International School for Peace Studies. This uses Irelands experience in World War I, and the brotherhood that arose between Irishmen on the Western Front to forge new relationships and new hope for our common future. This trip will took place from 24th to 28th August 2009.
On return the young people will engage in a peer education project, and ongoing contact with the other communities with whom they will have worked. The overall aim of the project is to forge lasting relationships between Young People and Youth Workers from different traditions in Ireland that would not otherwise have the opportunity to meet and work together. These relationships will contribute to the peaceful and stable society that we wish to see on this island. We will do this by using models of best practice that we already know to be successful and facilitate a growing understanding between each group over a long period of time.
If you’d like more information on this programme, please contact Bronagh/Sharon on 00353(0)749362218 or e-mail bronagh@inishowen.ie or sharon.skillen@farset.co.uk
Fears are growing for the future of 17 crucial community employment jobs in Inishowen after the recent An Bord Snip Nua report recommended the abolition of the Jobs Initiative Scheme.
Local community groups such as Cashel Na Cor Learning Disability Association, Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative, Fort Dunree Military Museum and Burt GAA are provided with a paid employee under the programme, which provides full-time work to people over 35 years of age who have been unemployed for over five years.
Economist Colm McCarthy’s report identified the scheme, which is funded by FAS and managed in the peninsula by Inishowen Development Partnership (IDP), as one that could not be afforded in the current economy.
It recommended that 10 million euro could be saved by transferring the employees to different initiatives.
However, speaking to the “Inish Times,” Job Initiative Team Leader Pauline Coyle said the scrapping of the scheme would not just have an effect on those it employed, but also to the community as a whole.
The local groups who sponsor the programme are Buncrana Citizens Information Centre, which employs an Information Officer under JI, Burt GAA – caretaker/youth worker; Fort Dunree Military Museum – caretaker; Lifestart, Newtowncunningham – two family visitors, Cashel Na Cor Learning Disability Association – general worker, kitchen and food preparation assistant and clerical assistant; Inishowen Disability Network- clerical assistant; K&M Connolly Foundation – cook and general worker; Newtowncunningham Development Initiative – administrator, youth worker; CLG, Muff – caretaker; and Clonmany Mental Health .
Ms Coyle said the scheme was a lifeline for the non-profit groups.
She said: “The Government should do its utmost to keep this programme, allowing current employees of the scheme to continue working on a full time basis, thus helping none profitable organisations to stay functional in this economic crisis,” she said
“Employees of the programme are anxious to continue working in worthwhile positions contributing to the community by improving walk ways, litter control, building stone walls, working with the elderly, young mothers and children, and gaining job satisfaction while doing a job they love.
“Participants of the Job Initiative Programme did not benefit from the “Celtic Tiger wages” but were happy to receive a minimum wage in order to get back into employment after a minimum of five years absence with the hope of improving their self esteem and confidence.”
A campaign titled “Don’t Turn Out The Light – Work Is My Life” has now been launched by the IDP and seeks to ensure the recommended cuts are not implemented by the government in the December budget.
Ms Kathleen Doherty, manager of the High Support Unit in Clonmany highlighted the importance of the programme and stated it was “invaluable.”
She said: “I would hope that this scheme, which is supporting and enhancing community organisations will continue, as it makes a positive contribution to local communities and is invaluable to our organisation.”
Jobs Initiative employee Joe McCauley works for Buncrana Tidy Towns Initiative under the scheme and said the loss of the jobs would be “a disaster.”
In a letter to local representatives, where he pleads for the retention of the programme, he asked the “decision makers” to “stop and think.’
He added: “I take this opportunity to plead with you on behalf of the Inishowen Development Partnership participants for their jobs,
“There is no doubt these jobs provide an invaluable service to our local communities. Most of the team on the scheme are all of an age that they would find mainstream employment difficult to obtain, especially now in the present climate.
“The Tidy Towns Initiative for which I work enables us to maintain the high standards expected particularly for tourism, environment and the general presentation of Inishowen and Buncrana.”
Another participant said the more she thinks about the possibility of the withdrawing of the scheme, the “more frightened” she becomes.
She said: “I’d probably be in jail for non-payment of mortgage and loans, these were granted on the strength of my income.
She continued: “I have grown in confidence and these skills enable me to work effectively and efficiently in society. I take pride in the fact I am providing for and supporting myself.
“If I was unemployed, why would I get out of bed in the morning?”
By Laura Glenn, Inish Times
People from Inishowen attending a function to highlight the negative effects the proposed cuts by An Bord Snip Nua, would have on rural dwellers.
