Unpaid Eight-Month Work And Training Placement For Adults With Disabilities Branded "Extremely Unfair"

One Kildare mother told Kfm News that their child had been attending structured placements each weekday, typically from around 9:30am to 3pm, and in some cases carrying out tasks for up to two hours at a time - but are not receiving any form of payment.

The parent of a child with intellectual disabilities says it is “extremely unfair” that their child was expected to complete months of workplace duties without pay under a State-supported employment programme.

The concerns centre on Kare’s Stepping Stones to Employment initiative - specifically the Project Pathways scheme, which places participants in a real workplace setting in Kildare.

One Kildare mother told Kfm News that their child had been attending structured placements each weekday, typically from around 9:30am to 3pm, and in some cases carrying out tasks for up to two hours at a time - but are not receiving any form of payment.

The parent said the concept of preparing young people for the workforce is positive, but added: “Dress it up any way you like - it’s just not right.”

Parents argue that if participants are carrying out productive work for an employer, they should be entitled to pay.

Kare insists the placements are training rather than employment. 

The organisation says the eight-month programme is designed to help young adults with intellectual disabilities develop practical work skills, confidence and independence in real workplace environments.

The initiative is co-funded by the Government through the Department of Social Protection and the European Union under the WorkAbility: Inclusive Pathways to Employment programme.

Kare says trainees rotate through different roles and are supported on site each day by Kare staff, with tasks selected for their training value rather than to meet business needs. 

It also says host organisations do not receive public funding for taking part.

"Project Pathways is designed to support young people with intellectual disabilities to access employment opportunities. It recognises that people with intellectual disabilities experience barriers to gaining paid employment without appropriate training in real workplace settings," a spokesperson for Kare said.

They said the programme is designed as a pathway to "competitive paid employment" and reflects models shown to "deliver strong employment outcomes for people with intellectual disabilities".

"Project Pathways is a work placement programme. Trainees rotate across different departments in the host organisation over an approximately eight-month period. They are supported on site each day by Kare staff, who provide support with all elements of their learning and training. The trainees also participate in structured learning alongside their placement," the spokesperson for Kare said. 

However, some families remain unconvinced. 

They say their children are working regular hours in real workplaces with no guarantee of paid employment at the end of the eight-month programme.

They said expecting people with disabilities to work unpaid for 8 months raises serious questions.

Kfm News has contacted the Department of Social Protection for comment.