In Wexford, the Rural Social Scheme is making a difference, both to the lives of small farmers who are participating, and to the communities benefiting from the work being done by them.
The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is open to low-income farmers and fishers, to people receiving Farm Assist, Jobseekers Allowance, One-Parent Family allowance, or Disability Allowance, and other social welfare payments.
Payment
It pays a minimum of €271.50, depending on the social welfare payment a person is in receipt of. Participants do 19.5 hours work a week in return for the money.
Working hours are flexible, which is a great advantage for farmers. People on the RSS can farm and pursue other work opportunities in the remainder of their time.
The RSS offers work opportunities across a wide range of community projects.
Sports clubs, walking routes and pathways, cultural and heritage centres and sites, pre-and after-school care, social care for older people, the list is broad.
Aodhán Power is Enniscorthy supervisor for the RSS. He brings the scheme participants together, creating a social bond between them.
This is a second layer of inclusion for members, whose work on the RSS places them at the heart of their local communities.
Power sees how empowering participation in the RSS has been for the group and he wants to see as many people as possible access the scheme.
Some North Wexford Rural Social Scheme farmers and administrators at the Old Post Ofiice in Ballycarney.
Support
“The brother, sister, son or daughter of a farmer can access the scheme, once there’s a social welfare payment and a BISS application.”
Sheena Bolger is the TUS/RSS co-ordinator for Co Wexford. “Our role is to support the participants and the work,” she explained.
“The innovation usually comes from the participants themselves, they see what needs to be done.”
Victor Beale,
Ballycarney,
Enniscorthy
“I’m a drystock farmer, and I’ve always worked off-farm. I was let off during the downturn, and I was at home all the time. Money would be tight, you wouldn’t be able to go anywhere or do much. I wasn’t in a great place, to be honest. I joined the RSS a year ago, I look after the community garden in Tombrack. There’s plenty of work to keep me going.
“I love the flexibility, I do my hours when it suits and keep the place neat and tidy. A few weeks back, I needed to spray some paths, but the evenings were windy. So I went up at five o’clock on a beautiful July morning and got it done while it was still and no-one was about.”
Douglas Rynhart,
Garrantrowlan,
Enniscorthy
“I’m on the RSS about a year. I love it, I would have done it years ago if I had known about it. I found out about it at a jobs fair, and had a chat with the co-ordinator. I told him of my circumstances, and he told me I qualified, so I left my details with him. Within a couple of weeks, I was contacted that the local GAA pitch in Oulart needed someone to do maintenance – mow the grass, do the lines, stuff like that. I’ve been there ever since.
Douglas Rynhart.
“It gets me off the farm, which can be a lonely spot, especially if you’re only a small guy, as I am, and you don’t have many people coming through. You’re there day in and day out by yourself. I’m meeting different people, having the chat, getting your bit of work done. I’m getting an extra few pounds at the end of the week, and the great thing is, I’m earning that money. We’re drystock farmers, so a lot of weeks there’s nothing coming in on the farm.
“Getting a weekly payment makes an awful difference.
“I’m up there three days a week, it’s all about getting the job done. There are two pitches and a training area, there’s always loads to be done. There’s a sense of pride in the work, the GAA club is the heart of the local community, and people are very appreciative of the work I do.
“I’d encourage any farmer like myself, on small income, with a bit of spare time, to get involved.”
In Wexford, the Rural Social Scheme is making a difference, both to the lives of small farmers who are participating, and to the communities benefiting from the work being done by them.
The Rural Social Scheme (RSS) is open to low-income farmers and fishers, to people receiving Farm Assist, Jobseekers Allowance, One-Parent Family allowance, or Disability Allowance, and other social welfare payments.
Payment
It pays a minimum of €271.50, depending on the social welfare payment a person is in receipt of. Participants do 19.5 hours work a week in return for the money.
Working hours are flexible, which is a great advantage for farmers. People on the RSS can farm and pursue other work opportunities in the remainder of their time.
The RSS offers work opportunities across a wide range of community projects.
Sports clubs, walking routes and pathways, cultural and heritage centres and sites, pre-and after-school care, social care for older people, the list is broad.
Aodhán Power is Enniscorthy supervisor for the RSS. He brings the scheme participants together, creating a social bond between them.
This is a second layer of inclusion for members, whose work on the RSS places them at the heart of their local communities.
Power sees how empowering participation in the RSS has been for the group and he wants to see as many people as possible access the scheme.
Some North Wexford Rural Social Scheme farmers and administrators at the Old Post Ofiice in Ballycarney.
Support
“The brother, sister, son or daughter of a farmer can access the scheme, once there’s a social welfare payment and a BISS application.”
Sheena Bolger is the TUS/RSS co-ordinator for Co Wexford. “Our role is to support the participants and the work,” she explained.
“The innovation usually comes from the participants themselves, they see what needs to be done.”
Victor Beale,
Ballycarney,
Enniscorthy
“I’m a drystock farmer, and I’ve always worked off-farm. I was let off during the downturn, and I was at home all the time. Money would be tight, you wouldn’t be able to go anywhere or do much. I wasn’t in a great place, to be honest. I joined the RSS a year ago, I look after the community garden in Tombrack. There’s plenty of work to keep me going.
“I love the flexibility, I do my hours when it suits and keep the place neat and tidy. A few weeks back, I needed to spray some paths, but the evenings were windy. So I went up at five o’clock on a beautiful July morning and got it done while it was still and no-one was about.”
Douglas Rynhart,
Garrantrowlan,
Enniscorthy
“I’m on the RSS about a year. I love it, I would have done it years ago if I had known about it. I found out about it at a jobs fair, and had a chat with the co-ordinator. I told him of my circumstances, and he told me I qualified, so I left my details with him. Within a couple of weeks, I was contacted that the local GAA pitch in Oulart needed someone to do maintenance – mow the grass, do the lines, stuff like that. I’ve been there ever since.
Douglas Rynhart.
“It gets me off the farm, which can be a lonely spot, especially if you’re only a small guy, as I am, and you don’t have many people coming through. You’re there day in and day out by yourself. I’m meeting different people, having the chat, getting your bit of work done. I’m getting an extra few pounds at the end of the week, and the great thing is, I’m earning that money. We’re drystock farmers, so a lot of weeks there’s nothing coming in on the farm.
“Getting a weekly payment makes an awful difference.
“I’m up there three days a week, it’s all about getting the job done. There are two pitches and a training area, there’s always loads to be done. There’s a sense of pride in the work, the GAA club is the heart of the local community, and people are very appreciative of the work I do.
“I’d encourage any farmer like myself, on small income, with a bit of spare time, to get involved.”
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