A Personal Journey


Journey

I joined the INOU in September 2015. The relationship began earlier that year when I was made redundant after 45 years of continuous employment. I always identified myself with my career, and the future without it looked extremely bleak. I recognised that being older than sixty would make it very difficult to secure employment in my profession. I had no knowledge of my entitlements from the State or what opportunities were available to help me locate employment.

Other than the support of my wife and family, I literally had nowhere to turn to. It’s amazing how quickly work friendships disappear when you are no longer part of the industry. I searched the internet looking for advice and landed on the INOU website. I accessed the “Working for Work” publication and could not believe how much information was contained in it.

I read about how to approach the Department of Social Protection and what benefits I was entitled to. Working for Work also gave me information in relation to the government’s Springboard initiative. This allowed me to apply and successfully gain a place with DIT in Digital Technology and Design. I was fortunate to gain temporary employment with a government agency for four months but after that, very few opportunities arose.

I decided to meet with John Farrell in the INOU who introduced me to the General Branch and its members. I was struck by the passion and interest that these people demonstrated when addressing such issues as unemployment and social deprivation. I attended some meetings and felt that I could contribute to this organisation. Unemployment is a lonely place to be and you can feel the effect on your mental health. However, knowing that other people have had similar experiences and being in a position to share your concerns in the company of others does help to raise the spirit. For this, I will be eternally thankful to the INOU.

I am now the Chairman of the General Branch and together with my colleagues meet every six weeks. This gives us the opportunity to discuss policy and influence the National Executive Council.

If you feel you would like to make a difference, I would strongly encourage you to contact us at Araby House. You will be most welcome!