Working Links

wishface

passatrider wrote: »

I can't offer any further advice myself other than wishing you all the best with it.

Perhaps someone who works for Working Links/or Jcp might be able to help who is reading this..?

Well i appreciate your replying. Unfortunately I'm really at my wits end right now. It doesn't help suffering from chronic stress and anxiety when you get all these threats and all this nonsense. The organizations that are supposed to help don't seem to care.

minesapint2

I'm in exactly the same position. I too have a long history of anxiety and depression. I had my third interview with Working Stinks a few weeks ago.
At the third interview, they really start turning the screws. My interviewer even told me that she thought she would get her bonus out of me.
I've now been told that my next interview won't take place in my local town like the first three, but will now take place an hours drive from my home. I believe this is so she can get her boss to sit in so I have two of them applying pressure on me. I won't be turning up for this one. I intend to tell them it's too far and I have no transport to travel such a distance. Plus, they don't pay travel expenses. They can rebook it in my local town.

At the end of the day, I have a certificate from a doctor to say that I should not be working, so its pointless making me apply for jobs... I would be immediately signed off again. What employer is going to employ somebody with a long history of mental illness and no references anyway?

Look on the bright side, you've only got to do two more interviews with them. They give up after 5. The fifth one won't acheive very much as they can't follow up after that.

[Deleted User]

What these providers(i use the word loosely)seem to forget is that they are there to help people get back into work when they are fit and well again,not while they are still unable to work,if they help people prepare their CV or brush up on their interview skills,even literacey and numeracey where needed then they will serve their purpose.If however they just see the sick and disabled as a means to earn a bonus then they will fail and fail badly.
There are people out there who have been sick/disabled for sometime who would really like to get back to work,but they need help and encouragement to do so,not a flaming great big stick.Thats why schemes like pathways run but OUTSIDE agencies are doomed to failure.

bestpud

I know someone who is being bullied by our local provider at the moment (I wouldn't use that word lightly - I really believe it is bullying) and it's wrong on so many counts.

This person is not ill but has severely low self esteem and has put a massive effort into increasing her skills over the last couple of years.

The advisor just wants her to take any little cleaning job going and she wants help to go for something a little 'better' (by that I mean something that will challenge her more).

Every time she asks about a job (and we are talking about things she is capable of doing), she tells her she basically has no chance of getting it!

It's all wrong, but having been to an employment fair last year, and seen them selling the job to undergrads, I can see where the problem lies.

They were instantly attracted to young, well dressed students who had the gift of the gab, but tbh were better suited to sales than support work.

They gave this great long spiel about encouraging people, and having the skills to motivate someone older than them, who is reluctant to work but may be reluctant to take advice from a recent graduate.

It was cringe worthy!! I sat there thinking how 'wrong' it all was really.

I'll stop my rant now, but if anyone wants an insight into the ethos behind these organisations, or proof of these stories on here, do get yourself along to one of their recruitment drives. It's an eye opener!

I'm not against helping people explore work options, but there are better ways than this.