On the 20th and 27th of November the INOU held two Discussion Forums in Sligo and Cork.
The purpose of the sessions was to update the attendees on welfare rights / budgetary developments, relevant policy changes, and to provide opportunities for discussion and to hear about their on-the-ground experiences. There was a very good attendance at both events and representatives from Local Employment Services, EmployAbility, Jobs Clubs, Ability Programme, Local Development organisations, local community based Resource Centres, Community Employment (CE) Projects, Centres for the Employed and Adult Education Guidance Officers were present. Bríd O’Brien, the INOU Head of Policy and Media, gave a presentation updating attendees on the National Social Enterprise Policy; 5 Year Strategy to Support the Community and Voluntary Sector; Future Jobs Ireland; and an input on social protection and the changing nature of work.
Robbie Kelly, INOU Senior Information Officer in the Welfare Rights Section gave a presentation on Invalidity Pension, Illness Benefit and work, Jobseekers Benefit and Self-Employment and some key budgetary changes for 2020.
Following on from the presentations the attendees broke out in to 3 groups in Sligo for an informative and lively discussion followed by a short plenary session. In Cork, attendees remained in one large group for a similarly informative discussion. The topics discussed included: what was working well in the Social Welfare system to assist people into work, what could be usefully changed, and the challenges the changing nature of work presents for the social welfare system.
On the 28th of November, Robbie Kelly for the Welfare Rights Section presented an information session at the Ballyfermot Chapelizod Partnership for a group of lone parents in receipt of a One Parent Family/Jobseekers Transition payment. The morning proved to be of great interest to the attendees in terms of back to work supports, payment disregards etc. A further session is planned for early in 2020.
The current participants on the INOU’s Local Training Initiatives Building Futures and Shaping Futures visited Lourdes Day Care Centre in Dublin’s inner city on Tuesday, December 10th. They brought a total of 110 Christmas ‘shoeboxes’ to older people and also joined in a game of bingo, which was enjoyed by all. Both groups also joined the Mobile Homeless Run in Grafton Street on Wednesday, December 11th to distribute approximately 220 boxes, sleeping bags, lifesaver bags and clothes.
