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Created on Thursday, 10 May 2012 00:00

PROGRAMME HISTORY & ACHIEVEMENTS-

The New Ross & District Chamber Community Employment Programme is in existence since 1995 and currently employs 31 people. In 2012 the local projects supported by the New Ross & District Chamber Community Employment Programme are: Chamber Office, JFK Dunbrody Trust (New Ross Tourist Office), St Mary’s Youth Centre, New Ross Meals on Wheels, New Ross Community Hospital, New Ross Day Care Centre, New Ross Community Play Group, County Wexford Community Workshop.


Originally our scheme supported environmental projects such as Tidy Towns and Oaklands Lake; the JFK Dunbrody Trust recording on database from hand written emigration records; Meals on Wheels preparing and supplying food to the elderly living alone in New Ross Town.

In 2005 our scheme was part of an amalgamation of other schemes, of which we changed to support the care sector, which included New Ross Community Hospital and New Ross Day Care Centre, our environmental projects then went to the Tullogher, Rosbercon Parish Scheme.

In 2006 St Mary’s Youth & Community Centre became part of our scheme .

In 2008 New Ross Community Play Group became part of our scheme.

In 2009 County Wexford Community Workshop (New Ross) joined our group.

1) Chamber Office:
Job Descriptions: 1 Receptionist, 2 Clerical Officers,1 Researcher, 1 Events Co-ordinator, 1 Cleaner/Office Clerk, 1 Membership Recruitment Officer, 1 Secretary.

The CE participants placed in the Chamber office get invaluable experience in office procedures. The varied work carried out here requires numerous skills, from reception duties; front line contact with the public; to the design of flyers and brochures. Skills learned from the day to day running of the Chamber Office: Various computer applications i.e. Word, Excel, Access, Publisher and PowerPoint. Bookkeeping, Payroll, Telephone Techniques, Tele-sales, Website Management, Team Work.

Some of the projects/activities organised and co-ordinated by the Chamber Office staff:-

  • Visitors Guide (a tourist information guide to New Ross and surrounding area, compiled and distributed to Tourist Offices in the South East, Rosslare Port, Waterford Airport and tourist attractions in the region)
  • Business Awards (an annual event organised and managed through the Chamber Office),
  • New Ross in Bloom (this is an annual project providing window boxes to participating businesses each May to enhance the main streets of our town)
  • Heartbeat New Ross (a community initiative to showcase local talent,promote shopping in New Ross)
    Sunshine Saturdays (     working with businesses to increase footfall,markets,discounts and other activities)
  • Chamber Shopping Voucher Scheme (administering the New Ross & District Chamber Voucher Scheme which has kept a spend of over 1.5 million euro in New Ross since its introduction in 2004)
  • Networking Opportunities(organising social events, business after hours, social lunches, seminars,breakfast briefings
    Administration     (clerical & secretarial services for member businesses, business administration)

2) New Ross Day Care Centre:
Job Descriptions: 1 Bus Driver/Care Assistant, 2 Care Assistants, 1 Catering Assistant, 1 Housekeeper.

New Ross Day Care Centre is located the new purpose built Healthy Living Centre, this building opened in April 2009 Specifically to cater for the over 65’s in our community, up to April the Day Care Centre was located in a prefab with limited space and facilities. The new centre hosts a Physiotherapy Unit, Clinical Room, Hairdressing Room and a Court Yard with container gardening available to the clients.Participants at the Day Care Centre have their specific jobs to do, but all are involved with the organising of activities for the clients i.e. bingo, music sessions, arts an crafts.New Ross Day Care provides a much needed service to our elderly living at home, catering for 25 clients daily and is extremely dependant on the support of the Community Employment project.

3) New Ross Community Hospital:
Job Descriptions: 3 Kitchen Assistants/Cleaners, 2 Housekeepers.

New Ross Community Hospital is a Registered Charity. This Nursing Home provides respite care, long term care for the elderly and care of terminally ill patients. The participants in this facility receive work experience in food hygiene, food preparation, food service and clinical cleanliness. The Matron at the Community Hospital is very dependant on the Community Employment participants to assist in keeping the standards of care and cleanliness.The Community Hospital is a great provider of part-time employment in New Ross Town. www.newrosscommunityhospital.com


4) New Ross Meals on Wheels:
Job Description: 2 Kitchen Assistants/Helpers, 1 Kitchen Assistant/Driver

New Ross Meals on Wheels is located in The Sr. Aidan Centre, this facility provides meals to the elderly living alone in our town, delivering hot meals daily. At the Sr. Aidan Centre meals are provided to the less well off in our community they can visit the centre daily and have their
dinner in the dining room.This service has an enormous impact on the community and the elderly in particular as some of these clients would not see anyone only the Meals on Wheels people daily.This project is probably the most demanding of all our projects, the participants work 4 hours daily, in that time scale the food must be prepared, cooked, plated and delivered by 12.30pm. The participants in this project acquire skills in food hygiene, food preparation, meeting deadlines and good relations with the older people in our community.

5) JFK Dunbrody Trust (New Ross Tourist Office)
Job Descriptions: Tourism Officers.

The JFK Trust building hosts the New Ross Tourist Office, our two participants are placed at this office. Their duties include manning the tourist office counter, providing information to tourists, occasionally serving tables in the coffee shop which is part of this office and also doing boat tours on the Dunbrody Famine Ship. The participants can also be involved in role play on the ship from time to time.Tourism is important to New Ross and plays a large part in the economic and community development of New Ross Town. www.dunbrody.com

6) St Mary’s Youth & Community Centre:
Job Descriptions: 1 Office Manager, 1 Janitor.

St Mary’s Youth & Community Centre has been renonvated to incorporate the old handball alley and new toilets and shower rooms. The centre is widely used by local Community groups such as FDYS, The Crib,Penny Bank etc. They are currently working on Marketing Strategy.

7) County Wexford Community Workshop:
Job Descriptions: 1 Bus Driver/Carer, 1 Catering Assistant, 1 Care Assistant/Bus Escort. 1 Packaging & Assembly Assistant

New Ross Community Workshop provides Pre School, Training,Sheltered Occupation, Day Activation and Residential services to People with Disabilities. CWCW has two centres in New Ross Town the main building at Marshmeadows providing training and sheltered occupation and the other centre at Pondsfield providing Day Activation. CWCW also has 3 residential premises in New Ross.www.cwcw.ie

8) New Ross Community Play Group:
Job Description: 1 Childcare Assistant.

The Community Creche is currently based in the Millhouse Care Centre New Ross. There are 18 pre-school children currently availing of this service. The Creche will be relocating to the CWCW which it hopes to further develop its current service.

Training & Development acquired by staff on our Community Employment Programme:

ECDL, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting,HR Management,Manual & Computerised Accounts
Computerised Payroll,Certified Payroll Technician,Diploma in Payroll Management,Sports Injury Therapist
FETAC Level 5 Healthcare Support, FETAC Level 5 Childcare, FETAC Level 4 Information Technology
FETAC Level 3 Computer Literacy, Basic Food & Hygiene Course ,Return to Education (8 modules).

Participants Progression: 14 of our participants have progressed in the following areas:
1 - into Self Employment, 4- into Full-time Employment,6- into Part-time Employment(4 Carers, 2 Retail Sales), 3- into Further Training

Current training that participants are involved in:
FETAC Level 5 Healthcare Support , FETAC Level 5 Childcare, FETAC Level 3 Computer Literacy, FETAC Level 5 Web Authoring, FETAC Level 5 Sound Engineering & Production, FETAC Level 5 Payroll, Book-keeping, FETAC Level 5 Image Processing (Photoshop).