FÁS provides community based services aimed at giving everyone a chance to participate in community life through various work experience and training programmes. Community Employment (CE) and Job Initiative are employment and training programmes primarily aimed at the long-term unemployed and other disadvantaged groups. CE offers participants an opportunity to benefit from training and engage in useful work within their communities on a temporary, fixed-term basis. In this way, local organisations help to develop their area by Sponsoring Community Employment Programmes, typically in the areas of social services, healthcare, heritage, arts, culture, tourism, sport, environment and education.
The Local Training Initiative is another programme where community groups can set up projects aimed at providing training and community services locally. Training is delivered across a broad range of areas, for example childcare, horticulture, public health and genealogy. The aim of the programme is to provide flexible training opportunities, and to raise competency levels of unemployed people not otherwise being catered for through FÁS interventions. This helps to facilitate their progression towards labour market participation using collaborative community resources and opportunities.
The Travellers Initiative and Wider Horizons Programmes offer targeted support, while other FÁS resources based in the community are the Community Training Centres catering mainly for early school leavers, and Job Clubs offering practical advice and assistance in finding a job.
FÁS assists people with disabilities to find a job through the Supported Employment Programme. FÁS also has contracts with Specialist Training Providers, who give individual attention along with specialist equipment and adapted programme content for people with disabilities. Further information can be found at Equality and Inclusion.
FÁS gives financial support in the form of Allowances and Grants to assist with its programmes, for example training and, where eligibility applies, travel, accommodation, meals and childcare.
Finally, any group or individual interested in sponsoring or participating in any of the community services above should contact their local Employment Services Office.
