Gov Depts - Internship for members of the Irish Traveller & Roma community

CLOSING ON 12TH AUGUST 2022!! LAST CALL - DATE WAS EXTENDED

Publicjobs, in collaboration with the departments of Agriculture, Food and Marine and Justice and the Houses of the Oireachtas Service has developed a 12-month paid pilot internship programme for members of the Irish Traveller and Roma communities.

There are 12 positions available, 11 in Dublin and one in Kildare. Nine positions will be at clerical officer level, with three at executive officer level.

The internship will commence on the 7th November 2022.

Open competition for appointment to the temporary position of: CLERICAL OFFICER under the Pilot Civil Service Internship Scheme for members of the Traveller and Roma communities (12 month paid internship)

What is the Pilot Traveller and Roma Internship Scheme? The civil service is committed to championing the development of an inclusive and diverse workforce that reflects modern Ireland and the people we serve. It is recognised that members of the Traveller and Roma communities have traditionally been underrepresented in workplaces, including in the civil service.

The development of an internship scheme to provide members of the Traveller and Roma communities with paid work experience opportunities in the civil service is in line with commitments under the National Traveller and Roma Inclusion Strategy, the National Pathways to Work Strategy and is a key recommendation of the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community that was chaired by Senator Eileen Flynn. The paid internships will be for a period of 12 months with a participating government department or office at either clerical officer (CO) or executive officer (EO) level. Interns will be assigned a workplace mentor while on the scheme. They will also benefit from practical on-the-job experience, as well as the opportunity to develop professionally and personally through participation on approved training courses. A network of participating interns will also support each other during the year.

As well as these benefits, on successful completion of a paid internship, interns will be well placed to apply and compete for future recruitment competitions for permanent roles across the civil and public service.

For the Pilot Internship Scheme, it is anticipated that a total of 12 internship positions will be made available – 9 at Clerical Officer level and 3 at Executive Officer level. This competition is for internship opportunities at Clerical Officer level and there is a separate competition for more senior internships opportunities at Executive Officer level being undertaken at the same time.

What is the Civil Service? The civil service is at the heart of Irish society. Employing nearly 42,000 people in over 40 government departments and offices, everything we do impacts our country, and most importantly, our people.

The civil service has a broad and wide-ranging set of responsibilities to support the work of the government in developing policy options and legislation to address major national issues. The service also plays a key role in co-ordinating and delivering our broader public services and helps to manage the economy.

What will the internship roles involve? The grade of clerical officer is the entry grade for the civil service (See Appendix 1). Clerical Officers are employed in all government departments and offices with a wide range of duties. The nature of the work carried out by a clerical officer may vary depending on the business being conducted by the employer concerned. It will involve clerical/administrative tasks as may be assigned to the employee from time to time. The following reflects the typical duties of a clerical officer: • General clerical work, e.g. filing, photocopying, processing correspondence, reception desk duties, etc. under the supervision of a designated manager. • Communicating and dealing with the public/customers, e.g. responding to queries and providing information face-to-face, by telephone or via email. • Working as part of a team in delivering services. • Supporting line-managers and colleagues. • Providing the highest quality standards in customer service. • Using Information Technology on a daily basis, e.g. word processing, spreadsheets, database, email and internet. • Maintaining high quality records in a thorough and organised manner. • Carrying out routine accounts work. • Approaching work in a careful and methodical manner, displaying accuracy at all times, even when conducting routine/repetitive work. • Checking all work thoroughly to ensure it is completed to a high standard. • Any other duties deemed appropriate.

Information on Clerical Officer level competencies (the skills and abilities required for the role) and how effective performance is measured can be found in Appendix 2.

Am I eligible to apply for this paid internship? To be eligible to be considered for this internship, applicants by the closing date, must satisfy all the following requirements: • Identify as a member of the Traveller or Roma community • be at least 17 years of age • satisfy the citizenship requirements • have a good general standard of education (you do not need a Leaving Certificate) • have relevant skills such as IT and team working • be available and ready to undertake a full-time 12-month internship from 7 November 2022 • satisfy health, character and reference checks if offered a position satisfy garda vetting and security requirements if offered a position. (Note: A criminal conviction does not necessarily prevent appointment. If a candidate is considered for a position, each case is assessed on its individual merits with respect to both the specifics of the conviction and the role under consideration) • not be employed in the Civil Service presently in a permanent capacity

You can find comprehensive details on the precise eligibility criteria at page 6.

Where will the internship roles be based? The majority of internship roles are expected to be physically based in Dublin, with a smaller number of roles available in some regional locations. Candidates will be able to indicate their location preference as part of the application process. The 4 Civil Service employers participating in this Pilot Internship Programme are: Department of Agriculture, Food and Marine Location of roles: Dublin and Backweston

The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) is a multi-functional organisation which provides a wide range of services both directly and through specialist state agencies operating under its aegis. The Department has a wide and diverse customer base which includes farmers, taxpayers, consumers, food processers and other commercial operators, those involved in sea fishing, forestry, bio-energy, research as well as diverse EU institutions, other State Bodies and special interest groups.

The mission of the Department is to serve ‘the government and people of Ireland by leading, developing and regulating the agri-food sector, protecting public health and optimising social, economic and environmental benefits.’

At present there are 3 internships at Clerical Officer level available as part of this Pilot Internship Scheme which may arise in a variety of areas across the Department including the One Health One Welfare business area. Public Appointments Service (PAS)

Location of roles: Dublin The Public Appointments Service is the centralised provider of recruitment, assessment and selection services across the civil and public service. PAS is committed to providing a premier recruitment facility to public service employers that Government departments, agencies and local authorities use, in order to successfully employ suitable candidates. Additionally, PAS support the appointment of candidates for consideration by Ministers for many state boards. PAS provide an open and transparent recruitment process to identify top-quality candidates for public sector roles, with a strong reputation for independent and merit-based selection. PAS support the Irish government and public employers to deliver high-quality public services through the recruitment of a diverse, highly talented and committed workforce that reflects the diversity of the society that it serves.

At present there is 1 internship at Clerical Officer level in PAS as part of this Pilot Internship Scheme.

Department of Justice Location of roles: Dublin The Department of Justice has overall responsibility for public policy and administration in respect of justice, public safety, national security and immigration. It employs over 2,700 people directly and a further 24,000 people across several agencies in the wider Criminal Justice Sector.

The Department’s vision is a simple, yet powerful one - a safe, fair and inclusive Ireland, and this vision is at the heart of everything it does. The work of the Department touches all aspects of society and everyday life; affecting each and every person who lives, visits and stays in Ireland. As a Justice team member, you will have a unique opportunity to shape your society and make a real difference to the lives of people right across the country.

At present there are 2 roles at Clerical Officer level available as part of this Pilot Internship Scheme which may arise in a variety of areas across the Corporate, Civil Justice, Criminal Justice and Immigration Service Delivery functions of the Department. Houses of the Oireachtas Service

Location of roles: Dublin The Houses of the Oireachtas (the Irish Parliament) is made up of two Houses, Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann. The Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (“the Commission”) is the governing body which oversees the provision of services to the Houses and their Members by the Houses of the Oireachtas Service (“the Service”) (the parliamentary administration) in accordance with the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Acts 2003-2015.

The Houses of the Oireachtas Service employs over 600 staff. It is the independent civil service agency which supports the running of both Houses and provides administrative services on behalf of the Commission as the governing authority. The mission of the Service is to provide high quality parliamentary services to the Houses of the Oireachtas, their committees, and the Members and to the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. The values of the Service are built around leadership, integrity and impartiality, excellence, accountability and accessibility.

At present there are 3 internships at Clerical Officer level available as part of this Pilot Internship Scheme which may arise in a variety of areas across the Service including Corporate and Members’ Services and Parliamentary Services. What is the role of the Public Appointments Service (PAS)? As the centralised recruiter for the civil and public sector, PAS will undertake the recruitment and selection process, on behalf of the civil service participating employers, for this pilot internship scheme.

On conclusion of the selection process, PAS will establish a panel of successful candidates that may be offered a 12-month paid internship with a civil service employer commencing 7 November 2022. Successful candidates will be placed on the panel in an Order of Merit that is based on how they performed in the selection process compared to other candidates.

IMPORTANT NOTE • As noted, there are a limited number of internships available under this Pilot Internship Scheme. The number of applications is expected to exceed the number of internships available. It is important to note, therefore, that not all candidates that apply or are placed on a panel by PAS will be offered a 12 month paid internship with a Civil Service employer. • In certain instances, positions may arise where specialist skills or experience is required e.g. accounts, Irish language skills, etc. Suitable candidates may be selected for the purpose of filling such vacancies.