Galway Advertiser 1998/1998_04_02/GA_02041998_E1_012.pdf 

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News Views Fashion Features

Saving f o ra pizza
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you pick up a newspaper and read about the latest unemployment statistics, do you ever wonder what it is like to be a statistic? To be one of the 13,235 people in Galway city and county who are out of work? Who often feel they no longer count in society because they do not have a role to play In the world of work. I f cou
and who are of a certain age. These people may I need extra training and their confidence may bet at a low ebb. They often feel their skills are not| good enough."

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Ann Dillon, PRO with Galway Centre for the Unemployed, says people who are out of work often feel they are not full members of society. They believe they do not have an identity. Their lives change dramatically when they become unemployed, she says. "Socially, your life is different. You can't go for a pizza or see a movie when you wish. You've got to save for things rather than buy on impulse. Going out to dinner becomes a big thing. "If you have a family, it's even harder. You have to plan ahead all the time and save for shoes and new coats for them. This is especially hard because we live in an era where children like designer labels and getting these can be stressful for parents.'' Work, whether it is paid or voluntary, gives people a chance to interact and feel useful, she says. "Any type of good fulfilling work will make you feel useful and boost your self confidence. Paid employment will improve your standard of living." Studies indicate that married women who work part-time outside the home, even in low paid positions, gain many benefits from working. It creates a happier home and boosts their self confidence, says Dillon. "It's all about interaction, getting an extra few pounds and feeling you are contributing something to the world." The older you are and the longer you are jobless, the harder it is to re-join the workforce, she says. "From our experience in the centre, we know that the likelihood of finding work drops dramatically once you pass the one year barrier. In October 1997, almost half of the 24,476 people out of work in the west were unemployed for over a year." Employers bear some of the blame for this, she believes. "They have an unstated prejudice against people who have been out of work for some time

Setback

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Telling people you exist
PETER JOHNSTON (32) knows all about being unemployed - he was oat of workforover seven years. He moved to Galway from Belfast in October 1996 and immediately set about looking for a job, ideally in | the media. "Like a lot of long term unemployed people, I was coosiandy trying to secure a job. I arrived in Galway with handful ot leads. 1 gave out ISO CVs to all media companies. Rule number one is to let people know you exist When you are handing

Younger people tend to regard being jobless! as a temporary setback and do not lose hope! about their futures, she says. For older people, unemployment can be more depressing. Women tend to be more resilient than men and cope better with being out of work. Many WCTfc channel all their energy into bringing up their children in their early years, then rum their attention to getting a job when the children are older. Women's groups have done a lot to empower women and develop their self-esteem, says Dillon. These organisations also run vice Wtatword training schemes and return to work courses. Many men find it difficult to adjust to being! unemployed and feel that caring for their! children full-time is not a proper role for a man,| she says. "Some men in their early forties drop in to us. * 'Any type of good fulfilling work will make you feel useful,' says Ann Dillon, P R O with They may be at home caring for their families the Galway Centre for the Unemployed. but they are not happy. They don't feel it's a proper job for a man. They want to return to work outside the home." It is easy to become disheartened if you keep applying for jobs but have no success. The Centre for the Unemployed is now seeing second generations of families who are unemployed. "These young people's parents have never worked and they are now in the same situation. Most of them are very young. There is 80 per cent unemployment in some parts of the city." out CVs, you are not so much full-time job I've ever had" Up to seven out of 10 people in Westside and areas of saying. 'Give me a job', you "You are always trying to are telling them you exist" get work. The money is Rahoon are out of work, she says. Parts of Ballybane, He was accepted onto a awful and the hours are even Castlepark, Ballinfoile, Mervue and Bohermore are badly hit back-to-work scheme as worse. You are trying to too. Statistics indicate 87 per cent of people living in Hillside, studio manager with the film survive on the dote. You're Ballybane, are jobless. But there is hope because a number of dynamic groups are production company, not able to buy yourself a pair of shoelaces or your busy working with people in these areas to develop their Concorde Anois in Inverin. T h a t was the first full- child a lucky-bag. Your skills and self-confidence, she says. The fruits of this are time job I had for 10 years. I friends are always buying already evident in Westside where unemployment figures had always been doing bits you a beer but you can't buy have dropped in recent times. and pieces to build up my them one back.' skills and make me Celtic Tiger Johnston soon realised he employable. I'd been going would be a "better boss than from one insecure project to an employee," he says. "I While there is much publicity about the Celtic Tiger and the next" the growing numbers of new jobs being created, Dillon says decided to become selfHe describes being employed. This involved there are still not enough jobs for everyone. "There simply are not enough to go round. Many jobs on unemployed as the "worst going through a maze of information about grants and offer are very low paid and people feel there is no point working long hours if they are not being respected. Some entitlements. It was complete nightmare. It helps believe they are better off staying on the dole and getting if you know some people. I benefits such as a medical card and rent allowance." didn't but I got a lot of help It can be soul destroying to lose a pensionable job and from the Centre for the suddenly find yourself trying to cope with a mortgage and Unemployed. They let me mounting bills, she says. use their computers to put my "We see a broad range of people here, including those from business plan into shape and the middle income bracket They are desperately trying to get they put me in touch with the back into the workforce." relevant agencies. They were Sometimes, people lose heart and get weary of applying for always there for me. jobs and attending interviews. His business has got off] "If you are turned down a few times, it can be difficult to the ground and be now be optimistic. But you have to keep trying. We advise people to make use of all the services at their disposal, such as those publishes the Galway List free entertainment guide. He! offered by ourselves and local community groups. There are also specialises in marketing! many education courses and training schemes available. These can give people a great lift and be a stepping stone to a films. "1m happier now. It's not new future." t 'wow, I've got a job', it's just that Tat doing something * Galway Centre for the Unemployed Is located at worthwhile. Yoa get a sense Canavan House, Nuns' M u d , Galway. Telephone 564822.

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LADIES' FASHIONS

NEW SHOP OPENS
in Galway

Wednesday 8h April t

"A

L EX O

N"

FAMOUS BRAND LABEL

Exciting new ladies' fashion shop opens under the management of Ms Carmel Cunningham at

16-18 SHOP S R E , G L A . T ET AWY 091-567061

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