Employment schemes

If you are a long-term unemployed individual or you never had a job, there is a variety of employment schemes and support available to help you get back to work.  

The Community Employment schemes (CE schemes) provide work experience and training opportunities to people who are long-term unemployed. CE schemes offer a range of different roles in community-based organizations, and they usually last for a year, working for 19.5 hours per week. You may be eligible for CE if you are 18 years and over and you are getting Disability Allowance, Blind Pension or Invalidity Pension, or getting Illness Benefit for at least 6 months. To apply for the CE scheme, you will need to register at your local Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. All currently available CE schemes are advertised online, on the Jobs Ireland website which you can access through the following link: Home – JobsIreland.ie 

To learn more about CE schemes and eligibility criteria, visit Citizen Information through the following link: Community Employment (CE) scheme (citizensinformation.ie) 

The Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) provides participants with a chance to get work experience if they never had a job or lost it. It is a 6-month, 30-hour-per-week programme that can help you build new skills and gain work experience.   

To qualify, you must be between 18 and 65 years old, unemployed for at least 6 months and receive the qualifying social welfare payments. However, if you are getting Disability Allowance or Blind Pension, you automatically qualify for WPEP, and you don’t need to be unemployed for the last 6 months. Same as CE schemes, WPEP opportunities are advertised online, on the Jobs Ireland website: Home – JobsIreland.ie 

To learn more about WPEP, visit Citizen Information through the following link: Work Placement Experience Programme (WPEP) (citizensinformation.ie) 

The Tús scheme is a community work placement scheme for people who are long-term unemployed. It provides work experience and training opportunities in local communities which include environmental, caring, general community, educational, heritage and cultural services. 

If you are in receipt of Disability Allowance, are 18 or older and are fully unemployed, you can self-refer for the Tús scheme. Participants work 19.5 hours a week and the placement lasts 12 months. If you wish to self-refer, you should get in touch with your Intreo Centre or Social Welfare Branch Office. 

To learn more about Tús, visit Citizen Information through the following link: Tús (citizensinformation.ie) 

The Part-Time Job Incentive (PTJI) Scheme is designed for individuals who have been receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance for longer than 15 months. This program enables them to engage in part-time employment and receive a Part-time Job Allowance in place of the Jobseeker’s Allowance, as a stepping stone towards full-time employment. 

To learn more about Part-Time Job Incentive, visit Citizen Information through the following link:  Part-Time Job Incentive Scheme (citizensinformation.ie) 

The Community Services Programme (CSP) aims to empower community businesses by offering financial assistance and fostering employment opportunities for marginalized individuals. This initiative provides vital support to community companies and co-operatives by helping them cover the expenses associated with hiring staff. By focusing on communities facing a lack of public and private sector services, whether due to geographical or social isolation, or limited demand, the CSP plays a crucial role in addressing these challenges and promoting local development. 

To learn more about Community Services Programme, visit Citizen Information through the following link: Community Services Programme (citizensinformation.ie)