Community Employment Scheme - What is it?

[bijou]

Hello all,
Not sure if this is the right forum for this question or not (mods please feel free to move if needed).
I've been looking at the FAS Jobs Website and have seen quite alot of vacancies that require the applicant to be CES eligible. It's a wee bit frustrating when you see a job advertised that you think you could apply for then it states only CES eligible people can apply.

Can anybody explain to me what the CES is?

Thanks - bijou

 

[Havana]

To be eligible you must be signing on for at least a year or in receipt of certain other social welfare benefits such as disability. Basically you work in community based organisations or charitys and the idea is to remove people from the live register and provide them with experience training and the skills to obtain full time employment. Most people can work for 3 years on the scheme but some extensions can be given. You earn slightly more than the labour and also receive some training allowances for 19.5 hours a week