Organisation of the Unemployed Northern Ireland

Contact Email: ouni@iol.ie

The Organisation of the Unemployed: Northern Ireland (OUNI) is a federation of unemployed centres, unemployed groups and other community organisations that are concerned with unemployment in Northern Ireland. OUNI is the Northern division of the INOU. OUNI facilitates a network of unemployed groups, enabling them to formulate regional strategic policy in relation to unemployment. We are concerned about the detrimental effect unemployment has on families and local communities.

The organisation is a member of the Northern Ireland and European Anti-Poverty Networks and the European Network of the Unemployed. OUNI also works closely with the Unemployed Centre's Combine in the UK.

Campaigning

We engage in discussion with government agencies on issues affecting unemployed people and submit recommendations after consulting OUNI members. The voice of unemployed people is often missing from policy fora and decisions that directly affect them are often taken without consultation. OUNI advocates the needs of unemployed people to relevant policy-makers and agencies. We also continually raise the issue of the lack of representation of unemployed people on relevant governmental committees and fora.

 

Unfortunately OUNI has experienced major funding difficulties over the last three years which has resulted in a very significant reduction in the capacity of the organisation to do its work. Currently the work of OUNI is managed by the Northern Ireland Council - a voluntary management committee which meets monthly in Belfast.