The Employment and Youth Engagement Charter is a government initiative to help those who are at risk of not moving into employment easily. It is one of the commitments included in government’s national employment strategy Pathways to Work 2021-2025. The Employment and Youth Engagement Charter provides a framework to collaborate with employers to support and inspire young jobseekers and other priority groups to build their knowledge, skills and experience to enhance their employability. Developed with the help of employers, voluntary agencies and young people, the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter is a practical document that is representative of the needs of both employers and employees.

Finding a job or moving to a new job with little experience can be difficult. This is especially so for young jobseekers and other priority groups. Getting that first step on the job ladder is important as it breaks the cycle of ‘no experience, no job; no job, no experience’. Work is important for financial independence, building networks, developing skills and mental wellbeing. Learning new skills and undergoing training when in the workforce are also important as the world of work faces changes through emerging technology.

What is the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter?

Businesses have a central role in tackling unemployment and building greater inclusion in the workplace. This initiative prioritises supports for those who will benefit from additional help to move into employment.

Young jobseekers, under 30 years of age, are the main focus of the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter.

However, the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter also caters for other groups of jobseekers who may find it hard to get an interview, gain work experience or move into work. These include:

• people experiencing metal health issues or have a disability
• refugees or migrants
• older men and women who lost their job later in their career
• people who have spent some time out of the workplace because of caring or childcare responsibilities
• those who are homeless or have spent time in prison
• minority groups such as members of the Traveller or Roma communities

These priority groups may change and there may be overlap between the different groups. However, it is important to note that not all those in each of the above groups will need additional support, with many successfully progressing their own work opportunities independently.

What commitments are included in the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter?

Under the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter, your business will undertake to deliver one or more of the following commitments:

• take advantage of employer incentives and supports which help give jobseekers work experience and offer pathways into employment, including the Work Placement Experience Programme, the JobsPlus Scheme and the Wage Subsidy Scheme
• avail of an Intreo briefing to find out how you can support the hiring of Intreo candidates
• host an event to offer advice to jobseekers on how to search for a job, write a CV and prepare for interview
• offer motivational talks to young jobseekers by sharing your knowledge on how to get job ready, or start a business
• develop a mentoring programme to offer guidance and support to jobseekers
• help to reduce youth unemployment by recruiting young people with the support of Intreo

What are the benefits for employers?

By signing up to the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter, businesses can become part of a community that can:

• easily access state subsidies and incentives to recruit new jobseekers with the assistance of Intreo staff to provide advice and support
• expand their scope to develop their candidate pool and build a diversified workforce
• contribute to a community of responsible and inclusive employers who provide opportunities to jobseekers who may otherwise find it hard to progress into employment otherwise
• raise awareness of the organisation and sector at a local/community level
• build corporate social responsibility level

Where can employers sign the Employment and Youth Engagement Charter?

To sign up to the Charter, or learn more, fill out the Expression of Interest Form or Email: employer@welfare.ie .

A network of Employer Relations Officers and Key Account Managers are available nationwide to actively support employers with any questions they may have on the Charter. Full details can be found on this contacts page.

After Signing the Charter

Once an employer commits to, signs, and submits the charter to employer@welfare.ie , they will be contacted by a member of the Employer Relations Division to discuss which commitments they can put into action. An introductory meeting will be set up, where one of Intreo’s Employer Relations Officer will discuss the next steps within the scope of the employer’s chosen commitments. Once the Charter has been submitted, the Officer will be in touch shortly thereafter to work with you to develop options for engagement with the Charter.

Guidelines

To support the implementation of the commitments laid out in the charter, a set of guidelines has been prepared. These guidelines add a range of suggestions on how to implement each of the six commitments. The guidelines also highlight supports and services that would be of most use for the successful implementation of each goal. These guidelines can be accessed here gov - Employment and Youth Engagement Charter (www.gov.ie)