Castlebar

Vtos

Welcome to

Castlebar V.T.O.S

If you are...

Over 21
Out of work for 6 months (or more) or made redundant
& On the live register

You qualify for Castlebar V.T.O.S!

The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is a European Social Fund supported intervention in the Irish labour market to enable, as a priority group, unemployed people who have been on the Live Register for at least six months or a person in receipt of statutory redundancy but not in receipt of a qualifying payment for the required period to access education and training with a view to progression to employment. Ten per cent of places may be allocated under certain conditions to a wider category of unwaged people including lone parents and people in receipt of Disabled Persons' Maintenance Allowance who are seeking employment. In all cases, the minimum age for participation in VTOS is 21 years.

The Ethos of Castlebar VTOS

In the world today, talking of ethos, vocation or aspiration is regarded as somehow old-fashined and outdated.

Education today is urged to follow the business model, which leaves the real teacher in a very strange position. After all, being a teacher is about dealing with people, not commodities.

VTOS has proven itself, but now more than ever we need to rededicate ourselves to innovation, inclusion and education.

We have been successful because we DO have an ethos, an ethos that was there the very first day, 18 years ago, when Owen Roe O'Neill R.I.P., took on the job.

We give people a second chance at education
We facilitate learning
We build confidence
We do all this, in a relaxed atmosphere of EQUALITY, RESPECT and DIGNITY
We change lives!

Some people may say that the phrase "we change lives" is over the top, and yet VTOS:

"Sows the seeds of success within people"
"It makes a difference to their life"
"Without VTOS they would not succeed"
"Joining VTOS can be the best decision of a students life"
"A relaxed atmosphere makes for the perfect environment to learn"
"Nothing is forced, only offered"
"Put simply, it helps to change peoples' destiny, their life and what's more, they have fun doing it"

So if you think the "we change lives" phrase is some kind of aspirational nonsense, you'd be wrong. The ten above phrases and quotes are from Mayo Participants in VTOS.

ELIGIBILITY:

Persons who are over 21 & in receipt of one of the following Social Welfare Benefits for at least 6 months may be eligible:

Jobseekers Allowance - Jobseekers Benefit - A One-Parent Family Payment - Disability Allowance -
Disability Benefit - Invalidity Pension - Carers' Allowance - Farm Assist - Signing for Credits -
A Dependent Spouse - In Receipt of Statutory Redundancy

"There is only one thing we can be certain our students will take away with them, and that is memories.
The best that we can do is ensure the memories are good ones"

(Liam Egan, Co-Ordinator)