The INOU hosted the first of our series of ‘Cross Border Living and Working’ online events on Thursday, 14th September. There was a great attendance at the online event, that showcased the important work being carried out by the Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services and the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre. Lorraine O’Malley (Coordinator of the Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services), Joe Lavery (Chief Executive Team, Employers Services Branch, Department of Communities and previously Coordinator of the Cross Border Partnership for Employment Services) and Aisling Cartmill (Routes to Resilience Coordinator with the Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre) provided very informative presentations and answered a number of questions from those in attendance. Joanne Farrell, INOU Chairperson (and Welfare Advice Officer with Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre) provided the Opening and Closing remarks.
The second online event in the Cross Border Living and Working series will take place on Wednesday, 15th November. Annmarie Kane from the Centre for Cross Border Studies, Sharon Dillon from North Connacht and Ulster Citizens Information Service, and Kevin Higgins from Advice NI will all present information on the issues and trends that are arising from their work.
The series of ‘Cross Border Living and Working’ online events are being delivered through Zoom. The Series will focus on where people can access accurate information on living and working on different sides of the border. Concerns have been raised over many years about people having incomplete or inaccurate information about cross-border working. In some cases, this can lead to significant difficulties for people which makes the need for accurate information and accurate information sources very important. The series of online events are being held in the hope they will create an online space to illuminate a wide range of employment and unemployment related issues facing Cross Border Workers, to showcase the work of a range of Organisations, and to allow Practitioners to share their experiences and highlight useful aspects from both jurisdictions as well as existing anomalies.
The series is aimed primarily at staff who are providing information or other supports to employed people who are Cross Border Workers or to unemployed people who are considering this option. The INOU is in the process of planning future online events in this series. For additional information about the Cross Border Living and Working online series, please contact our Membership and Development Worker, John Farrell at membership@inou.ie