The Pathways to Work strategy, launched in February 2012 and renewed in July 2013, has introduced a new, locally delivered, fully integrated public employment and benefits service, Intreo, involving the transformation of local social welfare offices and former employment services offices. Significant progress has been made with 44 Intreo centres now operating across the country. The remaining 16 offices are expected to be delivering this full Intreo service by the end of 2014.
Key elements of the new service include activation measures such as client profiling, early group engagement and one-to-one meetings leading to a personal progression plan, agreed between the client and his/her case officer involving detailed actions and periodic one-to-one reviews, based on the client’s profile.
Case officers are a key element of this service and the Department has redeployed staff to this function throughout the country. To support this, the Department developed and delivered a new case officer training programme in 2013. This programme includes training in the Intreo process, activation measures with exercises and case studies, jobseeking supports, employer engagement, communication skills, adult guidance and IT systems training. Training materials are continuously updated to reflect new programmes and changes to existing initiatives. Training programmes are also provided for Intreo office staff in the areas of claims decision making, customer service, non-violent crisis intervention, change management and the community welfare service. In addition, the Department funds external programmes directly related to the role of case officer including third level courses in the areas of adult guidance and career counselling currently provided by NUI Maynooth and University College Cork.
In parallel, the Department has begun, in conjunction with an external partner, a process to review and redesign its functional training programmes, focusing on the business skills required for key frontline roles in the organisation, including case officers, with a view to preparing these programmes for future accreditation.
With regard to the issue of dissatisfaction with the service provided by their existing case officer, we will facilitate a client’s request to be reassigned to a different member of staff. Any client is welcome to discuss issues of this nature in confidence with the Area Manager of their local Intreo Centre. In addition, the Department has a well-established, formal comments and complaints procedure in place to allow clients give feedback on the quality of services they receive. This is available on the Department’s website: www.welfare.ie.
