TUS Programme

another36

jmcgill16 wrote: »

I've always thought it extremely odd that people can't volunteer for TUS. Surely given the limited number of available places it would be better for all involved to let people who actually want to do the program go on it, instead of forcing others who don't want to do it? I'm sure there would be more than enough people wanting to do it. Especially younger people who would benefit from the payment top-up. Or married people who mightn't be getting the full rate of JSA so would also get a top-up.

Both the participants and organisations would benefit significantly more from a voluntary system I think.

In many counties people can self refer but their case worker in DSP has to agree. The issue is the new turas nua. If you are picked to work with them you can't opt into any scheme.

Tus is suffering from the obviously good reason that the jobs market is improving. The work they do in the community is essential to the survival of many services and facilities.

dodzy

jmcgill16 wrote: »

I've always thought it extremely odd that people can't volunteer for TUS. Surely given the limited number of available places it would be better for all involved to let people who actually want to do the program go on it, instead of forcing others who don't want to do it? I'm sure there would be more than enough people wanting to do it. Especially younger people who would benefit from the payment top-up. Or married people who mightn't be getting the full rate of JSA so would also get a top-up.

Both the participants and organisations would benefit significantly more from a voluntary system I think.

People CAN volunteer as long as they fulfill the criteria of being in receipt of JA for 12mths. Simple enough process. It's classed as self referral and has been in place for a while now.

denlaw

Tommy Kelly wrote: »

I don't want to go down the media route or any of that malarkey. I just want to know what the situation is regarding me or indeed any other person in similar circumstances actually having to work in them conditions full stop.

I've said it to my supervisor that I thought it wasn't on but he just hopped into the work van and drove off.

My job involves walking in front of a tractor that has a hedge cutter on the back cutting the ditches/hedges on the side of the road. This is always in a fairly rural isolated area.

I have to put out signs, check the ditches/hedges for rocks, wire or any other debris that might cause damage to either the hedge cutter, something or somebody. i.e hedge cutter hits something and that something flies etc...

Break is usually just stopping at where ever it is we are at 10am or 1pm. Guy driving the tractor sits in the cab (only space for one) I end up sitting on the side of the road somewhere or if it's lashing down rain like it is quite a lot these last few months, just leaning up against the wheel of the tractor.

Supervisor gave us a cheapish enough camper thing that can boil a kettle with small cans of gas that can be bought in a petrol station etc. So that has to be boiled on the side of the road and then I eat my lunch, like I said either standing up or sitting down in the elements.

No toilet facilities, no shelter, damn all really.

The supervisor has a really bad attitude as well. One of these ''fck em didn't I give him water proofs and a kettle and a tin of gas, what more does he want'' type of lads.

I've been doing this for over half a year now but I've just about had enough of it now, especially given the weather we've been having these last few months. I want to work and have no problem working, I'll be there on time and will finish on time even stay on late if I'm required and indeed in I did during the floods etc but there is only so much one can take too.

We weren't allowed to work in wet weather on the TUS scheme i was on, it was against all health and safety for us to work in the rain, if an accident happened, you weren't covered...i'd be going above that clown's head and seeing someone else...

votecounts

dodzy wrote: »

CE (Community Employment)




Gateway will be a dead duck in the very near future. Forget that.

I would be amazed if they got rid of gateway, as it helps the council with a lot of free labour.
In my county, i originally thought the county council had a huge recruitment drive but then i realised that all these people with county council vests were on the dole, gateway.It'll still be around in 20 years

fryup

whats the story with rent allowance when you're on the TUS scheme..do you lose it is it cut?

dodzy

fryup wrote: »

whats the story with rent allowance when you're on the TUS scheme..do you lose it is it cut?

No, you keep it. 100%. As you do with all other secondary benefits such as fuel allowance and med card

Adnan44

dodzy wrote: »

CE (Community Employment)




Gateway will be a dead duck in the very near future. Forget that.

Does there have to be a year in between finishing tus & going on ce scheme?

Tommy Kelly

votecounts wrote: »

I would be amazed if they got rid of gateway, as it helps the council with a lot of free labour.
In my county, i originally thought the county council had a huge recruitment drive but then i realised that all these people with county council vests were on the dole, gateway.It'll still be around in 20 years

True. The full time council workers would kick up an awful commotion if gateway was scrapped as they'd have to work then. They were bad enough already but they're having a whale of a time altogether now since lads via gateway and fas were given the council jackets and boots.

dodzy

Adnan44 wrote: »

Does there have to be a year in between finishing tus & going on ce scheme?

no. You can move to CE right after finishing your Tus year.

gabriel6

I have been working part time for an non profit company since January, before I got the job I applied for TUS, I was sent a letter to go for an interview for TUS, they where interviewing for the company I work for, my job, I went to the interview and advised that I was better off financially as I was. I thought that was the end of it, however I got a call from the person who interviewed me saying the company would like to offer me the course. I have now been informed that they don't have any hours for me as they will have a TUS worker ! Since I refused the TUS scheme they will now look for someone to take the position and put me out of a job can they do that ? Any information would be appreciated.

marguerite2000

a perfect example of why there is few paid jobs out there,,,why pay someone when you get them for free.

Adnan44

dodzy wrote: »

no. You can move to CE right after finishing your Tus year.

Would it be possible to stay in the same workplace then? Has that been done before?

dodzy

Adnan44 wrote: »

dodzy wrote: »

no. You can move to CE right after finishing your Tus year.

Would it be possible to stay in the same workplace then? Has that been done before?

Yes, it has been done before.

galwayhillbilly

Gabriel6
Technically TUS should not be used to displace a paid member of staff, In the TUS rule book as part of the eligibility criteria a placement provider should not be given a TUS placement if a paid employee has been made redundant recently, I haven't had a look at the manual recently so I don't know the precise timeframe. The TUS supervisor in question should be informed and just to make sure that s/he does his job properly and doesn't just ignore the rules contact your local DSP manager/Case Officer and let them know that you are being displaced by a TUS worker, if you don't get a satisfactory answer here go to the TUS section in DSP they are based in Sligo in Tubbercurry as far as I can remember. This might be too late for you but it is not too late to create a stink for the people breaking the rules. A paperwork Audit from the DSP might soon soften their cough

Alternatively TUS team leaders are under pressure to fill places, due to the recent 'recovery' and the effects of emigration there is a shortage of suitable candidates, you can go back and say your circumstances have changed and you now wish to be considered, The TUS team leaders will be delighted as they can only select from the official list and sometimes they cant get the right people for all of their potential vacancies.

Some Team Leaders in TUS are from a construction background they are not familiar with all the local politics strokes and shenaningans that go on, some are well versed in it and are willing participants and some are straight down the line and follow the rule book, mistakes happen maybe the TUS person isn't aware of the displacement, maybe they are not aware of the guidelines against it (who reads an entire operating manual) and maybe they will back down if someone lets them know that the rules are being broken and that it could land back on their desk.

fryup

how does Turas Nua differ from Tus ??

_Tombstone_

fryup wrote: »

how does Turas Nua differ from Tus ??

Tus is a community work placement scheme providing short-term working opportunities for unemployed people, Turas is a weekly job search sign in for an hour on their computers + a weekly/monthly chat with an advisor in an open plan office where they ask are ya working and if not why not.

crossmolinalad

fryup wrote: »

employer?? i thought all tus jobs were community based

Yes they are
But I'm working for a community project and my host is a employer has is own company but also a supervisor at my community job
When my time is up he offered me a job in his own company
So yes its possible they offering you a full time job

Aera

That's how their systems works tus or ce etc. Have a look around: Cr ches', nursing homes, day centers, charity shops, etc. there is very small amount of employees - just this schemes.

philstar

can a tus placement be extended by a few months?

DenMan

philstar wrote: »

can a tus placement be extended by a few months?

I am not sure. I finished my TUS placement nearly three years ago now. Near the end of it my supervisor said they were looking into participants getting an extra year but that was a year or two away from happening. I really enjoyed my time there.

crossmolinalad

DenMan wrote: »

I am not sure. I finished my TUS placement nearly three years ago now. Near the end of it my supervisor said they were looking into participants getting an extra year but that was a year or two away from happening. I really enjoyed my time there.

No
Only thing they can do for you if they are happy with you looking to get you from TUS into a CE scheme
TUS is just for a year and that`s it sadly
I'm also like what I'm doing now
Wish I could stay until my pension

section4

i was on a tus scheme three years ago
when it finished the place i worked kept me on
then they reduced the hours and i was on casual dockets
then the law changed and i wasnt allowed to continue on casual dockets
so i was off the social welfare completely
then my hours were cut to ten a week
so i only have one days work and no dole
the tus person who i was dealing with three years ago has phoned me
and a asked did i want to go on another tus scheme
i would but i have not been signing on because they stopped my casual docket and there was no point
so i suppose i will not be eligible for the scheme
now even though i only work ten hours
in fact i think i may be even let go completely

misstearheus

Well if the Tús person has phoned you that sounds like they have checked if and got the okay that they can take you back?

TepinTheGreat

I got a letter a few days back. I have to fill out the form agreeing for the DSP to give my contact details (Email and phone) to TUS Community Work Placement. I have no problem with this but am anxious as to what type of work is on offer. Also, I am in the process of attaining a couple of promising interviews and would prefer to take up properly paid employment with career prospects rather than a TUS placement.

How does all this go? Anybody got some advice based on experience? What kind of time frames (from original letter to placement) are normal?

fryup

a fortnight before the interview...and then a month later started

so 6 weeks

Bongalongherb

fryup wrote: »

a fortnight before the interview...and then a month late started

so 6 weeks

It is usually 1/2 weeks from interview that you have to start work in TUS in my experience. They could take longer though like fryup said.

bodhrandude

dodzy wrote: »

no. You can move to CE right after finishing your Tus year.

Sorry to bump this post but is it the same the other way round, I just finished a two year CE scheme can you move to TUS from CE, I finished on 28th October.

TepinTheGreat

I don't fancy starting over Christmas, to be honest. Any way to stretch them out till the new year? How long does the Garda Vetting part take? I lived in Europe for over 12 years. Addresses everywhere. Spain, France, Germany. :-)

crossmolinalad

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

I don't fancy starting over Christmas, to be honest. Any way to stretch them out till the new year? How long does the Garda Vetting part take? I lived in Europe for over 12 years. Addresses everywhere. Spain, France, Germany. :-)

Had the same ,loads of travel with no addresses
on advice of my supervisor I filled in for that time the address of my mum I lived there
For the Dutch police is was impossible to check that out because my mum is dead for years so they did give its okay
The vetting itself they want to know where you were almost every hour of your life

crossmolinalad

bodhrandude wrote: »

Sorry to bump this post but is it the same the other way round, I just finished a two year CE scheme can you move to TUS from CE, I finished on 28th October.

No you cant Has to be some years in between

TepinTheGreat

I got a letter to attend a job path session next week also on top of thus TUS lark. It looks like the screws are being turned. LOL I just wonder how I can do a TUS placement as well as job path. Can the DSP put me on both?

crossmolinalad

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

I got a letter to attend a job path session next week also on top of thus TUS lark. It looks like the screws are being turned. LOL I just wonder how I can do a TUS placement as well as job path. Can the DSP put me on both?

watch out for this
Igot two letters too
One for a meeting for jobpath and a interview for TUS
meeting for jobpath was two months before TUS
On the meeting at ceetec the guy told us that when you on their scheme you don't have to react for interviews of Tus or CE schemes
That's a lie I almost lost my benefits thanks to them
DPS see`s a scheme as CE or Tus as a job and you have to take it
Those seetec guys loosing money when you leave them without having given you a job so they telling you this lie to get the money for their work with you
Another joke I ve heard from a friend was he got a Ce job from the DPS and was on ceetec at that moment
He said to them he was going on that scheme and was with them for the last day
Two weeks later he got a letter he had to fill in with the details of the job he was going to do
Don't sign it and don t sent it back they didn't help you to get the job you got it from DPS
If you sign the form they get money for something they never worked on

TepinTheGreat

Thanks for the info. I will check on anything like that with Intreo rather than take their word for it. How often did you attend meetings with Seetec? The reason I ask is I have a couple of promising interviews coming up but not sure of the exact dates yet. I suppose it is possible to skip Seetec meetings for interviews?

crossmolinalad

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

Thanks for the info. I will check on anything like that with Intreo rather than take their word for it. How often did you attend meetings with Seetec? The reason I ask is I have a couple of promising interviews coming up but not sure of the exact dates yet. I suppose it is possible to skip Seetec meetings for interviews?

For the meetings they were friendly
I live far from their office with no public transport near taxi only costs at around 45 euro`s travel
I have a computer and internet at home so I was allowed to do things at home foor 3 weeks and the fourth week the same day as signing day (dole office was near them) had to come there sometime that day to them and had to show them what I had done those 3 weeks
But now while I'm on TUS I don`t have to go anymore but still do business online with them out of myself

crossmolinalad

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

Thanks for the info. The reason I ask is I have a couple of promising interviews coming up but not sure of the exact dates yet. I suppose it is possible to skip Seetec meetings for interviews?

Yes you can Uhmmm you must
Interviews are important to get a job
Next time you go to them take copies of the interview letters with you for their files and it will be okay

TepinTheGreat

Having read through the posts since the beginning of this thread a few years ago, it seems there are a lot of negative feelings towards TUS placement and a lot of bad experiences being reported. I am all for doing something towards making oneself employable and doing something to justify Jobseekers payments but it seems to me this program is open to abuse and is abused. I cannot see myself having a positive attitude to this and I certainly won't let it stand in the way of me taking the time and putting in the effort to find proper employment in line with my skills, experience and qualifications.

fryup

^^^^^^^^^^

be open-minded about it...you never know you might just like it...make new friends

i did

TepinTheGreat

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^

be open-minded about it...you never know you might just like it...make new friends

i did

I have no trouble making friends. Don't need to be put on a chain gang to make friends.

crossmolinalad

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^

be open-minded about it...you never know you might just like it...make new friends

i did

I love it but sadly its just for one year
Wish it was the same as a CE scheme 3 years

TepinTheGreat

crossmolinalad wrote: »

fryup wrote: »

^^^^^^^^^^

be open-minded about it...you never know you might just like it...make new friends

i did

I love it but sadly its just for one year
Wish it was the same as a CE scheme 3 years

So TUS scheme suits those who do not really want to find employment but would rather take part in schemes.

TepinTheGreat

Article 4 2 of the Convention ... 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.

If I do not volunteer, then it is forced or compulsory and is a contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights which Ireland is a signatory.
For the purposes of that Convention the term forced or compulsory labour means all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily . The Court has taken that definition as a starting point for its interpretation of Article 4 2 of the Convention (ibid.; Graziani-Weiss v. Austria; Stummer v. Austria [GC], 118).

crossmolinalad

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

Article 4 2 of the Convention ... 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.

If I do not volunteer, then it is forced or compulsory and is a contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights which Ireland is a signatory.
For the purposes of that Convention the term forced or compulsory labour means all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily . The Court has taken that definition as a starting point for its interpretation of Article 4 2 of the Convention (ibid.; Graziani-Weiss v. Austria; Stummer v. Austria [GC], 118).

Don't think so you will get paid more than on the dole Myself I see it as a good paid job Got almost 15 Euros an hour Witch employer would pay you that No one i know

TepinTheGreat

crossmolinalad wrote: »

Don't think so you will get paid more than on the dole Myself I see it as a good paid job Got almost 15 Euros an hour Witch employer would pay you that No one i know

Just because you are happy and volunteered yourself, does not mean everyone else feels the same.
I will repeat myself. Let me know if you have any questions.

Article 4 2 of the Convention ... 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.

If I do not volunteer, then it is forced or compulsory and is a contravention of the European Convention on Human Rights which Ireland is a signatory.
For the purposes of that Convention the term forced or compulsory labour means all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily . The Court has taken that definition as a starting point for its interpretation of Article 4 2 of the Convention (ibid.; Graziani-Weiss v. Austria; Stummer v. Austria [GC], 118).

TepinTheGreat

Ha, they want me to do an interview at a GAA ground. Let me guess, I will be a ground-sweeping specialist. LOL

dodzy

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

Ha, they want me to do an interview at a GAA ground. Let me guess, I will be a ground-sweeping specialist. LOL

It's the nature of social media to hear the complaints Moreso than the successes. We all know that. You could approach it positively and give it a shot. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it. If not, you can always request That you be moved to another organisation.

But it sounds to me from your last few posts that your mind is made up. So be it.

dodzy

crossmolinalad wrote: »

watch out for this
Igot two letters too
One for a meeting for jobpath and a interview for TUS
meeting for jobpath was two months before TUS
On the meeting at ceetec the guy told us that when you on their scheme you don't have to react for interviews of Tus or CE schemes
That's a lie I almost lost my benefits thanks to them
DPS see`s a scheme as CE or Tus as a job and you have to take it
Those seetec guys loosing money when you leave them without having given you a job so they telling you this lie to get the money for their work with you
Another joke I ve heard from a friend was he got a Ce job from the DPS and was on ceetec at that moment
He said to them he was going on that scheme and was with them for the last day
Two weeks later he got a letter he had to fill in with the details of the job he was going to do
Don't sign it and don t sent it back they didn't help you to get the job you got it from DPS
If you sign the form they get money for something they never worked on

pretty much all of your post is nonsense.

TepinTheGreat

dodzy wrote: »

It's the nature of social media to hear the complaints Moreso than the successes. We all know that. You could approach it positively and give it a shot. Who knows, you might actually enjoy it. If not, you can always request That you be moved to another organisation.

But it sounds to me from your last few posts that your mind is made up. So be it.

It sounds to me you from your post along with previous posts that you have a vested interest . I have read with interest the experiences of a lot of other posters and yes, I do have a feeling of discord. Your obvious involvement and vested interest is indication of my feeling of discord being well founded.

dodzy

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

It sounds to me you from your post along with previous posts that you have a vested interest . I have read with interest the experiences of a lot of other posters and yes, I do have a feeling of discord. Your obvious involvement and vested interest is indication of my feeling of discord being well founded.

You're talking crap. The only vested interest I have is helping people. Simple as that. I have no other agenda whatsoever. Any many are grateful for it.

As I previously stated, your mind is made up; you're blinkered, but so be it.

TepinTheGreat

dodzy wrote: »

You're talking crap. The only vested interest I have is helping people. Simple as that. I have no other agenda whatsoever. Any many are grateful for it.

As I previously stated, your mind is made up; you're blinkered, but so be it.

Do you or do you not work and get paid for this TUS program?

dodzy

TepinTheGreat wrote: »

Do you or do you not work and get paid for this TUS program?

I am a Tus teamleader, working directly with the host organisations & the people we place.

If you look back over my posts here (which I'm sure you have) you will see that I've been as helpful as possible and answered many questions for other boardsies. Again, just trying to be of assistance to people with queries in relation to the programme itself, eligibility criteria, payment queries, etc. Don't try and twist this into something it is not.