Community / Voluntary

• Community Funding
• Community Development Supports
• Community Networking
• Workers for Your Community
• Family Supports
• Supports for Older People
• Youth Supports
• Traveller Supports

Workers for Your Community

Leitrim Development Company can direct your Community Group or Voluntary Organisation to a number of different avenues in order to obtain assistance with your local projects. We provide a range of options to meet your group's individual needs, whether you are constituted as a Community Council, Childcare Facility or Environment Project.
At present we work in conjunction with over 150 Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations in County Leitrim to meet your local community needs. We have over 275 people working on five employment / training initiatives in County Leitrim. Our team of fully-trained staff is available to assist your group in exploring the support options available.

The labour market programmes we facilitate are as follows:

1. Rural Social Scheme

The RSS provides income support for farmers whilst providing additional resources to maintain and improve local amenities and facilities in rural communities. At present Leitrim Development Company has a quota of 134 participants on the scheme with a support team of five Supervisors and one Co-ordinator. Work is ongoing throughout the county and provides community-based work on a part-time basis (19.5 hours a week). Participants work on a variety of projects. Community groups have a very important role to play in the running of this, local people put in place the various work plans which the participants will deliver. Community groups are asked to submit project work plans for their respective areas; these plans should outline the various tasks being put forward and a timetable for their completion within a 12 month period.
Interested Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations should submit a request letter / email letter to be considered for the programme. Contact details are set out below.

2. Tús Programme

The programme provides short-term quality work opportunities for people who are unemployed doing beneficial work within communities. Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations are required to complete an application form with a valid one year work plan in order to play a role in this scheme.

Projects are likely to fall into the following categories:

• Environmental Services (e.g. conservation & maintenance of National Walkways)
• Caring Services (e.g. childcare, care of the elderly)
• General Community Services (e.g. newsletter/information provision for communities)
• Heritage and Cultural Services (e.g. information officer in local heritage project)
• Para-educational Services (e.g. community playgroups)

While the majority of people referred for Tús are selected on a random basis by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, a portion of available places can now be filled by assisted/self-referral. The assisted/self-referral allows a number of customers who fulfill the qualifying criteria the opportunity to avail of this short-term quality work placement and re-enter the labour market. Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations may recommend the Tús Programme to eligible and suitable candidates within their community.

Interested Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations should submit a request letter / email letter in order to be considered for programme. Contact details are set out below

3. Childcare Programme - Community Employment (CE)

The Childcare Programme, run by Leitrim Development Company, is designed to help long-term unemployed people to secure training and work experience in the field of childcare. (The programme is sponsored by groups wishing to benefit the local community, namely voluntary organisations and public bodies involved in not-for-profit activities).

Local community childcare groups act as sub-sponsors of the programme, providing work placements for the learners. The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection funds the programme, which is ran by Leitrim Development Company. An integral part of the programme is the provision of QQI training in Childcare. This qualification is essential to find employment in the childcare sector. Learners also work in community childcare facilities, gaining practical experience of the workplace. The programme assists them to enhance and develop both their technical and personal skills which can then be used in the workplace.

Interested Childcare Facilities should submit a request letter/email letter in order to be considered for the programme. Contact details are set out below.

4. Estate Management - Community Employment (CE)

The Estate Management Community Employment Scheme (CE) provides environmental and maintenance support to 32 local authority estates in Mohill, Manorhamilton, Carrick-on-Shannon, Carrigallen, Drumkeerin, Drumcong, Aughnasheelin, Corrawallen, Aughavas, Drumshanbo, Killargue and Glenfarne. 14 maintenance workers are employed under this project and duties include grass cutting, maintenance of green areas, hedge trimming and maintenance of community owned facilities. Accredited training in a range of skills and health and safety is provided for all the learners.

This particular programme is closed for new groups applying.

5. Community Enhancement - Community Employment (CE):
A new addition to our Employment Programmes is the Community Enhancement CE Scheme. This CE Scheme compliments the existing work of the Environmental Maintenance CE Scheme within the company. There are some different elements to the scheme in that a wider variety of community supports are offered. Community administration, heritage, village enhancement and community tour guides are examples of the work that is carried out within this scheme. The work is county wide and there are positons opening up annually. 23 participants are employed under this project and accredited training in a range of skills and health and safety is provided for all the learners.
Interested community groups should submit a request letter/email letter in order to be considered for the programme. Contact details are set out below.

6. Job Initiative:

Job Initiative places workers in community settings on both a part-time and full-time basis and is funded by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and ran by Leitrim Development Company. A total of ten workers are employed under the scheme in a variety of settings all over the county. The range of work carried out includes environmental work, upkeep of community buildings, administration to community based projects and home visit work with Lifestart.

Community Groups cannot apply for this particular scheme.

For further information on the Schemes in your area please contact:

To download an application form, please visit the Downloads section of the website.