Michael McGrath
Ceist:171. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Social Protection if he will address a matter raised in correspondence by a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [5048/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 2 February 2017
Ceisteanna (171)
Freagraí scríofa
All jobseekers are required to engage with the Department’s activation service and this obligation applies irrespective of whether the service is provided by the Department’s own case officers or those advisors employed by JobPath. JobPath is one of a range of activation supports, including schemes such as Community Employment (CE), catering for long-term unemployed jobseekers.
When referred to the JobPath service, the intention is that the client would work with the Personal Advisor to overcome barriers to employment and to obtain and sustain employment. Jobseekers are supported through the service for 12 months, have access to supports while in employment (for up to a period of 12 months) and can be referred to education or training programmes/courses as appropriate.
CE Schemes provide long-term unemployed people with part-time experience as a stepping stone back to employment. However, they are not full-time sustainable jobs.
In order to manage the allocation of activation support places effectively the Department does not facilitate or encourage jobseekers to leave the JobPath service early in order to take up a place on such a scheme. After 12 months with the JobPath service however, and if at that point the client is not undertaking an education or training programme or has not secured employment, the Department will arrange for the client to progress onto the most appropriate intervention thereafter. The JobPath service is therefore an element of the overall activation service being delivered by the Department.
It is a legislative requirement that people in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance must participate in such employment services or schemes as the Department deems appropriate. A failure to engage with any employment service or scheme can result in the application of sanctions, but all decisions regarding a person’s welfare entitlements are taken only by Department officials and not by the JobPath companies. The process for sanctioning clients who do not engage with the JobPath activation process is exactly the same as the process for clients who fail to engage with the Department’s own activation service.
The primary goal of the Department’s employment services is to move people from unemployment to full and sustained employment. As I am sure you will appreciate, it is not always possible to find employment that matches individual expectations.
The initial data on the impact of the service is encouraging, showing high satisfaction levels among clients of the service, and that people who engage with the service are more likely to secure employment than those who do not. The results of an independent customer satisfaction survey recently undertaken (JobPath Performance Data Report, which is published on the Department’s website) indicates that jobseekers feel that they are receiving a good service, and that JobPath has improved their chances of securing employment.
The department continues to monitor the delivery of the service and will publish performance data on a quarterly basis this year.
I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.