Completing the Application Form

Detailed guidelines are provided to assist you to complete the application form correctly. You must read these before you apply. Keep in mind when you are completing the application form that the description you provide of the placement will be used determine whether the placement will be approved. If your placement is approved then the description you provide will be used to advertise the placement to prospective participants. Please note that when writing the section ‘Participants will gain experience in’ that it is the experience that you are offering the participant not what experience you expect them to have already

Social Welfare Payments

Participants who apply for a WPP placement are required to be registered with Employment Services and record an ‘Expression of Interest’ in this programme. These steps are required to determine whether a participant is eligible to retain their social welfare payment during the WPP. Participants should check this with their local Employment Services office before proceeding to apply for placements.

 

Managing your WPP Advertisement

Once your WPP placement is approved it will be advertised on the Jobs Ireland  and in offices nationwide. Applicants will contact you directly to apply for placements. If you have received enough applications you can request that the advertised placement is removed at any time. Or if you have received no or few applicants you can contact the local office that is dealing with your placements and discuss how they can further assist you to find suitable candidates.

Preparing for the Start of the Participant

Before the person arrives for the first day of the placement you can make some simple preparations for them. Simple things like nominating someone to meet them on the first day, to show them where they will be working and introducing them to their colleagues. Allocating them a mentor or a buddy can also be a good idea. You are also required to provide them with a copy of the application form that you completed which describes in detail what they will be doing while on the placement

Progress Reports

At two points during the placement you and the Participant will meet to review and to document progress. Simple Progress Reports have been developed to assist you with this review. You can use this opportunity to discuss with the participant what experience they have gained to date, to plan the remainder of their placement or to change the focus of the placement , and perhaps to address any concerns that you or they may have. It should be informal and so should not take the form of a formal appraisal as remember the person is there on a voluntary unpaid basis to get work experience. WPP Progress Reports

Monitoring

The placement will be monitored within the first two months of the commencement of the placement. You will be contacted in advance to arrange the visit at a suitable time. In preparation for the monitoring visits, you can meet with the Participant and complete the Progress report. Please feel free to use this opportunity to feedback on any issues related to the Work Placement Programme. 

How many placements can my business/ organisation avail of under WPP?

· The number of placements a provider can avail of depends on the number of full time employees that business has.

· The table below presents the approved allocations: -

Number of full time employees	Number of WPP Placements
1-10 employees	1 place
11-20 employees	2 places
21-30 employees	3 places
30+	10% of your workforce to a maximum of 25 places whichever is the smaller

· Local branch offices of national organisations will be regarded as an individual provider for the purpose of the programme.

What if my business exceeds the above allocations, can we take on more participants?

· Yes, the allocation of places to providers is based on a “Rolling”, mechanism.

Example

· If you are an provider with a company that employs between 21-30 people you can avail of three Work Placements at any one time

· If one placement is completed or you decide to employ a person on from that placement, you will automatically be allowed to take on another participant to make up your overall allocation of three

What if one placement finishes and I want to take on a person for the same position, can I do this?

No, you must wait for three months before you can advertise the same position

What if I have taken on a Work Placement Participant as an employee and wish to advertise that same position again?

In this case because you have taken on a permanent staff member from the Work Placement Programme, no 3 month cooling off period will apply.