Looking for Work

LOOKING FOR
WORK

Unemployment is a big issue among the Traveller Community – over 80% of Travellers are unemployed. Some Travellers find it hard to get a job for many reasons. For example, not having the right qualifications or discrimination from employers. We know it can be a difficult experience and that sometimes as Travellers we feel we should hide our Traveller identity or our address. This puts a lot of pressure on us and it is normal to feel stressed, worried or upset about unemployment. Many people who are unemployed have feelings of anxiety, depression or thoughts of suicide and can use drugs and drink more to take things off their mind. There is support available to get employment and it is important to use this support to get employment. If you are having this experience try to stay hopeful and focus on your future dreams and plans. There are many Travellers working in all walks of life from teaching to community and youth work, to nursing and construction. You can do whatever you would like to do with some hard work and support.

It is normal for unemployment to affect your mood and make you feel low, anxious, angry, alone, lack confidence and/or worry about your future. It is important to try and look after your mental health especially during this period:

Be kind to yourself and look after yourself. Try to eat well and exercise.
Stay in a good routine – get up and go to bed at the same time every day.
Avoid alcohol and drugs.
Focus on what you can do – look into volunteering in a local organisation like your local Traveller organisation or youth and community centre while you are looking for a job. This might help you get a job at a later stage.
Keep applying for jobs and get help with applying. Look at some of the tips below.
If you are having a hard time getting the job you want, think about going back to education or training.
If your mood is very low for a long time then it is important to talk to someone. There are services available – check out some of the services on the next page.

If you are under 18, it is best to try and stay in education and finish secondary school. You will have much better chances of employment if you have better educational qualifications on your CV.

Look into further training or getting an apprenticeship in the area you would like to go into. There are a lot of Further Education and Training Courses available. Your local Education and Training board can give you more information on these courses.

Look into adult education or third level courses – there are many Travellers in third level now and there is support available to help you find the right course for you. Contact your local Traveller organisation for advice.

There are lots of training and education supports available and these services can give you good advice on where to start. Check out Citizens Information for more advice.

If you do apply for a job and it is your first time writing a CV – get some help writing the CV and doing a mock job interview. It is not easy to write a CV or go into an interview and we all need a helping hand learning these new skills. Intreo is a service which can help you learn how to write a CV and connect you with job opportunities. Organise to drop into your local Intero office.