If you have a disability and wish to take up paid employment or you require assistance in finding a job, the Supported Employment Programme may be able to help you. It is administered by FÁS employment programmes which were transferred to the Department of Social Protection in January 2012.
This programme funds the placing in employment and ongoing support of people who have a range of disabilities and impairments. The programme provides a number of 'on-the-job' supports, such as a Job Coach who will assist both the employer and the person seeking employment. In order to avail of the Supported Employment Programme, you must genuinely require the initial support of a Job Coach to obtain employment in the open market.
Supported Employment Programmes operate through a consortium of local organisations in your area called sponsors. Often, these consortia consist of organisations in the voluntary and community sectors that provide direct services to people with disabilities.These organisations, referred to as Sponsors, run Supported Employment Programmes on behalf of FÁS. The sponsor employs Job Coaches and a Co-ordinator to deliver the programme. People can be identified as potential candidates for the Supported Employment Programme by these local consortia or they can contact their local FÁS office and put themselves forward.
Each Supported Employment Programme in your area has a co-ordinator who oversees the operation of the scheme in your area. Before you can participate in the scheme, you must first be referred by a FÁS Employment Service Officer or a Local Employment Service Mediator who will arrange that the co-ordinator will meet with you (or a parent/guardian/family member) and discuss your needs, interests, skills and whether the scheme is right for you. The programme is divided into four phases:
The FÁS Employment Services or Local Employment Services Mediator may refer a person with a disability directly to any of the 4 phases, depending on the needs of the jobseeker.
Job Coaches can offer on-the-job assistance and provide ongoing support to participants before, during and after employment.
When you have been formally registered on the Supported Employment Programme your local co-ordinator will assign you to a Job Coach. This person will meet you to discuss and help you identify your skills, interests and aspirations. In other words, he or she helps complete a vocational profile that identifies your skills, talents, interests and the type of work you would be interested in securing. The Job Coach will also discuss such issues as whether you would like to work on a full-time or part-time basis, where you would like to work (that is, whether transport may be an issue), etc. At this stage, your Job Coach, may if necessary, get in touch with your family network/guardian. If necessary, the Job Coach may also link in with any medical referees necessary to ensure that you are medically ready for employment.
In order to ensure that they get a complete picture of your suitability for employment, sometimes Job Coaches may join you socially and observe the way you interact with other people or if you attend a day centre, they may come along and see how you work. This process is extremely important to ensure the employment you secure is appropriate for you and to ensure that any supports you may need are planned or already in place.
If you have a disability, a Job Coach can help you by:
The job coach provides direct support to employers during the placement by:
People participating in the Supported Employment Programme work in all kinds of jobs. When you and your Job Coach have identified and agreed the type of work you are interested in securing, the next stage is to apply for work. This can be done by either applying for jobs appropriate to your skills and interests that are advertised in the normal way or by your Job Coach helping you to identify and apply for jobs in your area. Sometimes, this can involve your Job Coach contacting employers in your area or in your chosen field of work.
Job Coaches provide ongoing support to participants in a number of ways. For some participants (depending on need), the Job Coach can assist with training on-the-job and provide support in the immediate aftermath of employment, liasing with the person and his or her employer. For other participants, the Job Coach can provide support and advice when they need it. The needs of participants participating in this Programme tend to be individual and the type of support needed will vary from one individual to the next.
Occasionally, the employer and employee may agree that the employment is not working out. If this happens, the Job Coach can then step in and re-assess the situation with regard to further supports and assistance (that is, perhaps further training), etc.
In order to participate in the Supported Employment Programme, you must genuinely need assistance in seeking and securing employment and must be Job Ready. Job Ready is defined as "A person who has the necessary training, education, motivation and ability to pursue work/career in the open labour market".
Participation in the Supported Employment Programme is free. You do not have to pay for any of the supports you receive as a result of participation in this Programme. Anyone who is placed in employment through this scheme has the same employment rights as other employees. Your employer will pay your salary and you will agree the terms and conditions of employment in the same way as other employees.
You can be referred to this Programme through your local consortium or you can contact your local FÁS office and express your interest in participating in the Programme.
If the Supported Employment Programme is not for you, there are other courses that may be more suitable for your needs.