National Internship Scheme - JobBridge
Outline of the National Internship Scheme
Overview of the Scheme
The Government announced the introduction of a new National Internship Scheme as part of its Jobs Initiative, which was published on 10 May 2011. The National Internship Scheme will have 5,000 places and it will be the first initiative operated under the National Employment and Entitlements Service. The scheme became operational on 1 July 2011.
The aim of the National Internship Scheme is to provide those seeking employment with the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, maintain close links with the labour market and to enhance their skills and competencies through a quality internship opportunity. It is expected that individuals who participate in the National Internship Scheme will enhance their prospects of securing employment in the future.
The National Internship Scheme will provide internship opportunities of 6 or 9 months for unemployed individuals in organisations in the private, public and community & voluntary sectors.
It will be a time limited scheme for a maximum of 2 years. This implies that as the Scheme was launched on 1 July 2011 then applications for internships will continue to be accepted until 30 June 2013.
Participants on the National Internship Scheme will receive, through the Department of Social Protection, a single allowance consisting of €50 per week on top of their equivalent existing social welfare entitlements. No employer top up contributions will be allowed.
A Steering Group, chaired by Mr. Martin Murphy Managing Director of HP Ireland has been established to advise Minister Burton on the development of the National Internship Scheme. The Steering Group will also play a key role in assisting in the promotion and branding of the National Internship Scheme.
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Eligibility Criteria
The eligibility criteria of the National Internship Scheme are detailed below.
Participant Eligibility Criteria
a) The National Internship Scheme is limited to individuals who are on the Live Register and have been in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Benefit or signing on for credits for at least 3 of the previous 6 months.
Host organisation eligibility:
Host organisations are organisations providing internship opportunities and participating in the programme.
b) This programme is open to host organisations in the private, public (including commercial semi state) or community and voluntary sectors.
c) In order to qualify for an internship an organisation, or a local branch, must have a minimum of 1 full time employee (i.e. on payroll and subject to tax and PRSI).
d) The internship will not be provided to displace an employee. The Scheme Administrator reserves the right to review cases where it is reported that this is the case.
e) The host organisation's Public/Employers Liability insurance and Motor Insurance, if applicable, will cover any internships on this programme.
f) The host organisation is fully compliant with current workplace health and safety and all other legal requirements.
g) The host organisation is a legal entity.
h) If Garda Vetting applies to the internship, the host organisation will ensure that the vetting process is applied.
i) The maximum number of internships a host organisation can offer at any one time is dependent on their number of full time employees:
| Number of Full Time Employees |
Number of Internships |
| 1-10 employees |
1 Place |
| 11-20 employees |
2 Places |
| 21-30 employees |
3 Places |
| 30 + employees |
20% of your workforce to a maximum of 200 internships whichever is the smaller |
j) Local branch offices of national organisations will be regarded as an individual host organisation for the purpose of the programme.
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The Process:
k) The host organisation identifies a potential internship opportunity and nominates a suitable mentor to the intern.
l) Host organisations can make an online application to advertise an internship opportunity with the National Internship Scheme's website 'www.jobbridge.ie', which will be managed by the National Employment Service.
m) Login - Host organisations will login into the National Internship Scheme's website using their existing FÁS company registration (username & password)
- or
If their organisation is not already registered, they will be taken through a series of steps to become a registered organisation.
n) The organisation will complete an online Application Form
o) When the application is processed the organisation will receive an email notification that the advertisement has gone live or that the application has been unsuccessful and the reasons for this – which can be discussed with National Call Centre staff and rectified.
p) The next step in the process is for candidates to apply directly to the host organisation as per the method stated in the advertisement.
q) When the host organisation has selected a potential intern they will log into their account and complete a series of steps:
- Complete the Standard Internship Agreement (available at 'www.jobbridge.ie') and copy to individual
- Notify the National Employment Service of the individual's details
- Download an Eligibility Form (available at 'www.jobbridge.ie') for the individual to take to their local Department of Social Protection (DSP) office to confirm their eligibility for the scheme. Queries regarding applications should be made to the dedicated applications email address mailto:jobbridgeapps@fas.ie
r) When the National Employment Service receive the Eligibility Form confirming the individual's eligibility, the host organisation will be notified that the internship can commence.
s) As soon as the intern commences the host organisation must log into their account and notify the National Employment Service that the individual has actually started (so that DSP can process payments to the intern).
t) Every month the host organisation must log into their account and complete a short "compliance checking" form
u) A final feedback form and Reference Form for the intern are required on completion of the internship.
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Compliance Requirements
As stated above there will be three compulsory compliance stages, which must be completed in order to participate in the National Internship Agreement:
- When a Host Organisation selects an individual (pending eligibility confirmation by DSP) for an advertised internship placement, both parties will sign a Standard Internship Agreement which will detail the following:
- Responsibilities of each party
- "Rules" of the placement re attendance, payments, compliance, etc.
- The professional development/learning outcomes the intern would expect to develop during their internship.
- When the placement commences, the host organisation must submit an online monthly compliance check to verify that the terms of the Standard Agreement are being met:
- The intern was in attendance in accordance with the rules of the scheme (required to manage the payment of the internship allowance to the intern)
DSP will be notified by exception, i.e., if it is indicated that attendance does not comply with the Standard Agreement
- The internship is progressing as expected (as per "1.c" above).
- Actual Finish date (if different from the due finish date)
A mechanism to include the intern (such as an email copy) will be developed.
- Before the end of the placement, the host organisation will be required to complete the following:
- A Completion/Reference Form to be provided to the intern that will detail the professional development/learning outcomes the intern has acquired over the course of the placement. This will also include other standard reference-type data.
It is intended that this will be a valuable document for individuals in securing future employment.
- A Scheme Final Evaluation Form that will be submitted to the National Employment and Entitlements Service, detailing the host organisation's and the intern's feedback. It will also establish if the intern is being offered a contract of employment with the organisation or whether they had secured employment in another organisation.
This will provide statistical data throughout the scheme and also feed into a wider Scheme evaluation that will take place at a later stage.
Failure to comply with 3.a and 3.b above will mean that the host organisation will not be entitled to offer further placements under the scheme.
- There will be a system for "whistleblowers" where breaches of the eligibility criteria of the scheme are suspected of occurring. An email address and phone number will be published on the website (www.jobbridge.ie) so that individuals can make contact and have their concerns dealt with.
It is proposed that two further components should also be incorporated:
- In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme, a follow up survey will be completed before the first year of the scheme is complete (when sufficient numbers of individuals have exited the scheme). Data gathered in "3.b" above will be a key element of evaluating the scheme.
- A host organisation toolkit is available online, to support organisations to apply best practice in encouraging the professional development of their intern, e.g., induction programme, regular meetings, learning logs, etc. This toolkit will include tips on what a good internship is. It will not be a compulsory element of the scheme and will allow organisations of varying capacity to provide appropriate support to interns.
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Contact Information
Freephone: 1800 303 515 (from the Republic of Ireland Only)
Phone: + 353 46 9738080 (from outside the Republic of Ireland)
Email: General Queries jobbridge@fas.ie Queries Relating to Applications jobbridgeapp@fas.ie
Website: http://www.jobbridge.ie/
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Launch of the National Internship Scheme
The Minister for Social Protection, Ms Joan Burton T.D., officially launched Job Bridge – the National Internship Scheme at a breakfast event on the morning of Wednesday 29 June. Key stakeholders and representatives of organisations were in attendance.
View the Ministers Press Release