From helping those who are only starting off on their career path to providing supports to those long settled into their retirement, Mick Malone’s time with Laois Partnership Company has brought him into contact with people from all walks of life. A former supervisor on the Tús scheme, which arranges work placements for people on social welfare, Mick is the new manager of the Laois Services to Elderly People (LSTEP), which promotes independent living for older people across the county.
The Ballytegan native and father of two has a background in civil engineering, having worked on such projects as the Portlaoise bypass, the mainline drainage on the Carlow bypass, and the toll plaza on the Mountrath to Abbeyleix road. He joined Laois Partnership Company in 2010 as a sport coaching supervisor on the Tús scheme, which saw him involved in a variety of sports countywide.
“I had county players coaching soccer, people coaching karate, jiu-jitsu, basketball, every sport. I was involved in the local boxing with Pat Ryan, with two people who progressed onto the Olympic training programme. I had a guy working with Nicole Dunphy, the FAI development officer at the time, and he went on to represent Ireland,” says Mick.
Due to the workload, another Tús supervisor was brought onboard and responsibility for the county split into sections, with Mick looking after Portarlington, Mountmellick, Clonaslee, and Rosenallis. Tús now links in with charitable organisations and sports clubs across Laois, providing short-term working opportunities for unemployed people. Participants on the scheme gain the benefits that being in the workplace provides, while community and voluntary organisations benefit from the skills and experience of the participants.
Mick says his early days with Tús provided a learning curve, as unemployment was so high in Ireland in 2010 that he often found himself interviewing potential participants for the scheme who had PhDs. The demographic has now changed as employment opportunities have grown, with the Tús supervisors often encountering people for whom “life gets in the way” of their chances to secure gainful work.
“It could be people with sick parents or kids who can’t afford the cost of childcare. These are all issues that turn people into house parents or unpaid carers, meaning they’re not available to work because they can’t afford to work,” explains Mick.
Before moving on to his new role with LSTEP, Mick has some advice for whomever replaces him as supervisor on the Tús scheme. A gregarious man who likes to get stuck in, he believes that the most important thing is taking the time to listen to those you are tasked with helping.
“Be honest. Take your time. Respect the people that you’re interviewing and placing. Be more of a friend than a boss to them. They can be quite unsure at first, but then six months in and they’re asking can they stay on. When it finishes, they don’t want to go.”
Even though he made many friends during his time in Tús, Mick is enthusiastic about embarking on the next phase of his career as manager of LSTEP. The seeds of interest were planted during his return to education when he undertook a Bachelor of Business course in Business, Enterprise and Community Development, which opened his eyes to the benefits of social enterprises. A social enterprise is a business where all traded income is reinvested in sustaining and developing the business, and where the product or service provided is a response to a local relevant social need.
“I love the idea of a social enterprise, what it does for the community and the target group you employ, and also what it does for the group you are working for, which in this case is people over 65,” says Mick.
“I’m really looking forward to being able to expand and develop it, because being a social enterprise, you need to make enough money that it’s sustainable, but anything after that you put back into it, for the betterment of the company to help more people.”
Mick replaces Willie Marum, who stepped down as LSTEP manager after some ten years in the role. Willie’s devotion saw LSTEP deliver not only maintenance work and home repairs but also emotional support to an estimated 7,000 elderly people across the county, which has allowed them to remain valued and important members of society. Mick hopes to expand the services already being delivered to elderly people and put the staff more in the public eye, with a commitment to professionalism.
“The LSTEP maintenance team have skills in painting, decorating and grounds maintenance. I’m looking forward to supporting and working with this experienced team to develop the programme for those who need it most.”
LSTEP provides a range of supports for elderly people in the community, including low-cost painting and decorating, garden maintenance, household repairs, and the installation of personal alarms. Learn more about LSTEP here, and contact the office on 05786 61900 or email [email protected]