Community, voluntary employees to fall by over 16,000, new report finds

Community and voluntary sector employees will have fallen by more than 16,000 by 2015, even though the numbers who need their services have multiplied due to the economic crisis.

That was one of the findings of a report on the sectors due to be published by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions today.

The report, by researcher Brian Harvey, reveals that voluntary and community services were valued at €6.5bn, received €1.89bn in state funding and employed 53,100 in 2008.

However, it found government funding fell by an average of 35% and predicted this would lead to 11,150 job losses before the end of 2013 and to a fall in the employment level of 16,400 by the end of 2015.

The funding drop has been particularly significant in a number of areas.

Funding for the RAPID (Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development) programme has fallen by 67%, funding for community and social inclusion has fallen by 72%, and voluntary social housing funding has fallen by 55%.

The funding shortages come at a time when a number of the organisations are facing unprecedented demand.

The report points out:

* Focus Point, which assists young homeless people, reported an 18% increase in demand in 2010.

* Crosscare reported an increase of 40% in demand for its homeless services in 2010.

* Appeals for help to the Society of St Vincent de Paul rose 50% in 2010.

* Merchants Quay, Dublin reported a 26% increase in meals provided for homeless people in 2010.

Such organisations are also dealing with falling public donations due to the economic crisis.

In response, Mr Harvey found that organisations, rather than letting staff go, have introduced pay cuts, reduced working weeks, stopped pension contributions or introduced compulsory unpaid leave.

David Connolly, chairman of the ICTU community sector committee, said the report showed there were serious implications for the future of the sector.

“It asserts that the targeting of the local community services for continuous reduction could be considered as extremely short-sighted and fundamentally flawed public policy, especially given the severe challenges facing Irish society through the imposition of prolonged austerity,” he said.

“All of the indications are that this process of retrenchment, which has impacted on the community and voluntary sector most unfairly and disproportionately, will continue, unless a concerted and broad-based campaign is organised to highlight the damage being caused through the loss of local employment and vital community infrastructure.”