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FÁS
have been involved in Clonakilty Animal Park since the start in
1991, to the present day. FÁS participants are also maintaining
the Lios-na-gCon project. With the clearing of the Animal Park
site with 5 participants in 1991, to August 2000 with 14
participants and 1 Supervisor 168 men and women have
participated in the development of the Clonakilty Agricultural
College's tourism project. The Lios-na-gCon Heritage site was
open to the public in 1991, after 3 years with Youth Reach
schemes.
We were asked by FÁS, after a
visit to Lios-na-gCon, could we provide work experience for the
unemployed in the Clonakilty area. A site on the college grounds
was lying idle and overgrown and after much discussion, we came
up with a plan for a small Pet Farm, to enhance the Lios-na-gCon
project. What started out, as a small Pet Park, through FÁS and
all the participants involved, became what is known as
Clonakilty Animal Park.
Over the years, many different
skills and hidden talents were discovered signing on at
Clonakilty Employment Exchange. Including - builders, carpentry,
gardeners, plasters, painters, and very enthusiastic workers.
Other skills that came to the project like welders, signwriters,
and very important with the Animal Park was people with
experience in looking after animals, birds, fowl and pets. There
were other participants who found that they were excellent in
dealing with visitors and became kiosk attendants and guides at
Lios-na-gCon.
After years of been unemployed or
rearing a family, participants got the chance to ease into a
real job situation. Regular hours were set, where you worked 1
week on the project and 1 week off or 2 days one week and 3 days
the other week. In thus you completed 39 hours over a 2 week
period. Start times are at 8.30 p.m. and finish at 5 p.m.-4 p.m.
on Friday. Wages are paid on Thursdays for those on duty and
posted out Wednesday to participants on their week off. Length
of time on any FÁS Community Employment Scheme was for a 1 year
contract or 52 weeks. Depending on age (over 35 years) a current
participant could get another years work experience. At the
start of FÁS Community Employment you had to be signing at the
nearest Employment Exchange and be over 21 years of age and in
signing for 1 year. Today, you have to be over 25 years of age
and in receipt of stamps, dole, lone parents allowance or
widow's pension. A traveller of any age and in receipt of
unemployment benefit or unemployment assistance for any period,
been referred by the National Rehabilitation Board. In 1996 it
became apparent, that work experience alone, may not get you
employment in many of the different job opportunities , that was
coming on stream with the start of the Celtic tiger. A Worker
Development and Training Programme was introduced by FÁS to all
FÁS Community Employment Scheme in the future. An amount of
money is allocated for each participant to develop other skills
or improve and advance others. If one had a hobby , could it
become a business?, could what you thought was only a hobby
become fulltime employment?.
Participants took up classes and courses in computers, at all
levels, health and safety, personal development, child care,
gardening, driving lessons, art and signwriting, camera lessons,
health of small animals, tractor driving and stone wall
building.
FÁS provide protective clothing,
such as steel cap boots, wellingtons, overalls, and wet clothing
and hand protection when needed. Clonakilty Agricultural College
provides subsided meals.
FÁS participants and members of the
sponsoring body, travel away from the project, to visit other
FÁS sponsored projects, when our own project close for the
summer season. We at Clonakilty Agricultural College, facilitate
other FÁS groups for visits. By request, we can also, provide
lunch in the college restaurant overlooking Clonakilty Bay.
Through FÁS and the college, we have developed our own Art
Studio and Work-shop and have a very large size glass-house, to
provide a workspace during wet and cold weather.
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