The Job Initiative (JI) programme was launched in July 1996 and continues to provide full-time employment for people who are 35 years of age or over, who were unemployed for five years or more, and in receipt of social welfare payments over that qualifying period before entering the programme.
The main purpose of JI is to assist long-term unemployed people to prepare for work opportunities by providing participants with work experience, training and development opportunities. FÁS operates the programme with a dedicated budget of €34.5 million for 2010. There are currently 1,329 participants, with this number decreasing annually due to retirement and other reasons.
Following changes introduced in 2004 by the then Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, contracts for existing JI participants are renewed, allowing them the option to continue until they are 65 years of age. There is no recruitment to the programme due to this change.
JI participants are involved in a wide range of useful community services, including after-school care, breakfast clubs, homework clubs, gardening and security services. In addition, JI projects provide jobs in the social economy in administration and maintenance. The areas supported by these workers include community centres, creches, enterprise centres and parish properties.