Tús: Building Futures

The Department of Social Protection chooses who can take part in the Tús programme in our area. The people that they choose must meet one of these conditions: unemployed and on Jobseeker's payment for 12+ months, receiving Jobseeker's Transitional (JST), a Beneficiary of Temporary Protection (BOTP), or on Disability Allowance without a waiting period.

If you are chosen to take part in the Tús programme, you will:

• Work 19.5 hours per week.

• Get quality 12-month work experience that will help improve your chances of getting work.

• Get a minimum payment of €286.50 per week.

• Get 81 hours of annual leave over the 12 months.

• Contribute your skills and experience to a community organisation.

• Get ongoing support from the community organisation that you are working for.

• Be signed off the Live Register and become an employee of Fingal LEADER Partnership on work experience.

• Have ongoing support from our Tús team supervisor.

All of the work experience available is of benefit to both you and to the local community. Some examples of the positions available on work experience include:

• Retail assistants

• Childcare assistants

• Maintenance

• Caretaking

• Administration and clerical work

Where necessary, Garda clearance will be required.

• If the Department of Social Protection chooses you to take part in Tús, they will contact you and let you know. They will ask you to respond to the offer.

• If you agree to take part, they will send us your details.

• When we get your details, we will contact you and ask you to meet with us. We will talk to you about Tús, your previous work and education experience, and the types of work experience you are interested in.

• We will look at the work experience positions that we have.

• We will identify which of these matches your skills, personal qualities, and areas of work that you are interested in.

• We will then invite you to meet with us and the community organisation which is offering the work experience.

• If your skills and qualities are a good match with a placement offered by a community organisation, then you may be offered the work experience.

We also welcome self-referrals from people who meet the eligibility criteria. This is subject to approval by the Department of Social Protection. Please contact us using the details below.

Any not-for-profit community organisation operating in our area that can offer suitable work experience can take part in Tús.

The work experience position you offer should be of value to the local community and meaningful to the person who takes up the role. We are open to considering any role offered within your organisation. Some examples of work experience positions we currently offer through Tús include:

• Retail assistants

• Childcare assistants

• Maintenance

• Caretaking

• Administration and clerical

If you are interested in providing a quality work placement to a person who has been chosen to take part in Tús, please contact us using the details below.

Participants on TÚS can take up other part-time employment, provided it does not interfere with the work and hours of the TÚS work placement. If participants are offered full-time alternative work, they may terminate their work placement contract.

Under the National Employment Action Plan, someone receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance (JA) is required to take up work opportunities, such as the offer of a TÚS work placement. If they refuse a work opportunity without good reason, they may have their DSP payment reduced or terminated. If, following a refusal of a placement, someone’s payment is reduced or terminated, they may appeal this decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office within 21 days.

The TÚS payment is taxable, but the amount payable depends on individual circumstances. Class A PRSI contributions will be paid for all participants. Participants on the TÚS scheme are exempt from the Universal Social Charge.