Jobless people in Kilkenny have been dealt another blow with news that the Job Club is to close its services to the unemployed by the end of the month.
The closure came as a shock to the two staff members who were unaware that there was any issue with regard to the continuation of the club until they received a letter last week outlining that the Board of Directors at Noreside Resource Centre Resource Centre for the Unemployed, have withdrawn their sponsorship of the Kilkenny Job Club.
A meeting of interested people took place on Tuesday afternoon and several politicians, ex-members and community workers turned out to show their support for the club. A proposed working group has been established to try and ensure the continuation of the club.
Trish Duffe who is the coodrinator at the Kilkenny Jobs Club along with her colleague Nathalie Theron told the Kilkenny Advertiser, “unfortunately, our Board of Directors has withdrawn their sponsorship of the Kilkenny Job Club. FAS at this time have yet to determine whether a new sponsor can be found, therefore the Kilkenny Job Club is obliged to cease operation and will close on April 29, unless we can get support and a new sponsor.”
A new sponsor could come in the form of an alternative community group but to date no community group has offered its support.
Tim Haide a former member of the Council of Trade Unions, voiced his disgust at the turn of events.
“I initially opposed the Job Club but I then saw the importance of its work and now I think this might be FAS pulling rank and using the Council of Trade Unions to close this and if this is the case they need to be held to account.”
Ken Kirwin who is a former Job Club member and is a spokesperson for the members said, “there are 21 new members booked in for the month of May and now they have to be told that the club is no more. This was a very important club that was open to everybody looking for a job. It was a free four-week workshop offering career and education guidance, job search support, interview techniques, CV writing skills, and much more. The closure of the club will mean no services for the unemployed people of Kilkenny.”
Enya Kennedy is a also a former member of the Job Club and she used the club as recently as two months ago when she secured a job through the service.
“I cannot say enough about the benefits of the Job Club. The work is so positive and beneficial to those who are looking for work. I came to Kilkenny with nothing and I used the services and soon I had a decent CV, a bit of confidence and ultimately a job in a children’s clothes shop. Now I am studying for my degree and I got a job in Newpark Family Resource Centre two weeks ago through help from Trish here at the Club. I would not be where I am today without their help and there are lots of people out there like me — unfortunately, there are now people who will not have the benefits that we had.”
A working group has been established to attempt to secure a new sponsor for the club and this group includes, Ken Kirwin, Tim Haide, Cllr Paul Cuddihy, Mayor Martin Brett, Deputy John McGuinness and Margaret Egan.
They are hopeful that a sponsor will come forward before the end of month deadline when the facility will close if a sponsor is not in place.
