#EmpowerBalbriggan campaign launched to highlight need for more supports for job-seekers
The #EmpowerBalbriggan campaign is being launched this week to highlight the need for more supports for job-seekers in the area.
#EmpowerBalbriggan is being organised by Empower, the local development company for Fingal, and will see a range of events taking place in Balbriggan in the coming weeks, as well as online awareness-raising activities.
Commenting today (14.11.19), Adeline O’Brien, CEO of Empower, said: “Earlier this year, the Jobs Club in Balbriggan closed its doors. We know this type of service is still badly needed in Balbriggan, and we’re organising this campaign to highlight this need.
“Over the coming weeks, we’ll be holding a series of events to support people who are looking for work. These are kicking off today, with a pop-up CV Advice Clinic in the BEAT Centre in Balbriggan.
“The aim of the Clinic is to assist unemployed members of the Balbriggan community with their CV and job-seeking Skills. All level of job-seekers are welcome, from those who need a CV done up from scratch, to individuals who simply need additional advice on how to best to use their CV to advance to the next stage of the recruitment process.”
Programme of Events
Balbriggan experiences significantly higher rates of unemployment than other parts of Fingal and than the national average. According to the 2016 Census, Balbriggan had an unemployment rate of 16.95%, compared with a rate of 10.3% for the county of Fingal overall. Currently, the unemployment rate for Ireland overall is 5.3%.
The events taking place as part of the #EmpowerBalbriggan campaign are aimed at supporting job-seekers to access work, in the absence of the former Jobs Clubs.
Confirmed events include:
- The pop-up CV Advice Clinic, taking place today, Thursday, 14th November, from 10am to 4.30pm in the BEAT Centre.
- An event in partnership with the Dress for Success Dublin charity on Thursday, 21st November, which will see Empower’s offices in the BEAT centre transformed into a styling studio. Empower are teaming up with Dress for Success to get 14 women interview-ready during this pop-up Suiting and Styling Clinic. There will be styling and confidence-building tips, and all participants will go home interview-ready with a smart outfit to wear to job interviews. This event is already fully booked.
- Further appointment-based pop-up clinics will take place on Thursday, 28th November; Thursday, 5th December; and Thursday, 12th December.
Those interested in booking an appointment for any of the #EmpowerBalbriggan pop-up clinics can contact Graeme Fitzpatrick in Empower on 01-8209550 to secure a slot.
Community Support
“In addition to providing local people with practical supports through the pop-up jobs clinics, we’re also hoping to raise wider public and political awareness of the need for employment supports in Balbriggan,” said Adeline O’Brien. “Throughout November and December, we’re asking local people, local stakeholder groups and elected representatives to share their views on this issue on social media, using the hashtag, #EmpowerBalbriggan. We want to get a conversation going about how important it is to ensure people in Balbriggan have the same chances and supports as everyone else when it comes to job-searching.”
Follow Empower on social media: @EmpowerFingal, #EmpowerBalbriggan.