Community Employment (CE) is an active labour market programme designed to provide eligible long-term unemployed people (defined as 12 months plus on the Live Register) and other disadvantaged persons (including those with a disability) with an opportunity to engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed term basis. CE helps long-term unemployed people to re-enter the active workforce by breaking their experience of unemployment through a return to a work routine and to assist them to enhance/develop both their technical and personal skills.
It should be noted that persons with 9 months Jobseekers Benefit (JB) combined with 3 months on another CE-qualifying payment (e.g. jobseekers allowance, one parent family payment, etc.) are eligible to participate on CE.
In addition to CE, there are a number of training and work experience opportunities available to clients in receipt of JB. Such clients should contact their local DSP Intreo office or consult the DSP website for further details.