The Rural Social Scheme is a community work programme with a focus on the provision of direct services in the community. Eamon O 'Cuiv T.D Minister for Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs officially announced the Rural Social Scheme as part of Budget in 2004. It provides community based work on a part-time basis for members of farm families.

This scheme recognises that farmers and their family members have a wealth of experience and talents that can be harnessed for the benefit of rural communities.

Leitrim Development Company has 100 scheme places with 19 women and 81 men currently on the scheme working with over 70 Community groups across the County. The Participants are supervised by five Supervisors who cover five distinct areas around the county and the RSS Co-ordinator is based in Drumshanbo.

The work undertaken falls into the following broad categories:
Maintaining & enhancing waymarked ways, agreed walks & bog roads
Energy conservation work for the elderly & the less well off
Village & countryside enhancement projects
Social care & care of the elderly, community care for both pre-school & after-school groups
Environmental maintenance work - maintenance & caretaking of community & sporting facilities
Projects relating to not for profit cultural & heritage centres
Secretarial/Administration duties

Community Groups & Voluntary Organisations:
Community Groups and Voluntary Organisations who wish to establish a scheme in their area apply on an annual basis. It requires a work plan detailing the various tasks required and a timetable for their completion within a 12 month period. A template is forwarded to all groups who wish to apply in February of each scheme year.

For a Rural Social Scheme Guide please click here.

For a Community Group & Voluntary Organisation Application please click here.

Participants:
Eligibility criteria apply to participants as follows; an individual must be in receipt of Farm Assist/Fish Assist or have a herd number and be in receipt of one of the following long-term Social Welfare payments - Jobseeker's Benefit if previously on CE/RSS, Jobseeker's Allowance, Disability Allowance, One Parent/Widowers Payment, adult dependents of non-contributory old age pension under 66 years of age etc. The dependent spouse of a person qualified will also be eligible to participate in the scheme as an alternate, i.e. instead of the spouse to whom the herd number is allocated. For a Rural Social Scheme Guide please click here.

To register your name on the reserve list please contact Karen Guihen, RSS Co-ordinator on 071 9641770 or rss@ldco.ie