ALG annoyances.

three1ne

Im sorry, I just need to vent a little bit here.

Im over 25. I started my course over 10 weeks ago and ive been paid ALG once. A total of £90 which included some back pay. My original application was lost in the post, clearly not their fault but I wrote a letter with my second application I posted explaining what had happened, they didnt acknowledge that so I had to appeal against it (was really owed £270, not £90) and im still waiting to hear back about that, probably going to have to phone up.

I havent missed a day of college apart from one morning where I had a hospital appointment, I asked if i could pre book this day off although they said phone up on the day. I done that, before 10am, and for some reason I was put down as 'late'. Beyond belief. I was sent an automatic txt saying I wouldnt receive ALG for that week (23/11) so I had to sort that at the ALG office in the college. That was corrected and I was told instead of Friday my money would go in Monday. Fine with me. Its wednesday and I still havent received it. Down to £5 atm. Got to go in and speak to her again today.

the course isnt great either. I like to remind myself I paid £455 for it.

Oldernotwiser

Did you send off your documentation by special delivery?

If your course isn't satisfactory, you need to discuss this with the tutor.

lleck

if its like our college anything for w/c 23/11 couldn't be paid until Monday of this week at the earliest so it wouldn't go in the bank until this Thursday / Friday.

If the ALG haven't made the weeks available for payment due to them not getting the late application there is nothing the college can do about that as they can only pay weeks made avaiable to them by the ALG.

We have had 10 weeks of payments avaibale up to now not including half term, hope you get it sorted.

three1ne

Thanks for replying Oldernotwiser and IIeck.

-I typed the 23rd this morning, I meant to say the 16th.-

I didnt send it special delivery, I didnt feel the need to...

That week has been sorted out although speaking to another ALG lady in college today, she said that'll be paid this coming monday. I will also be getting a normal payment this Friday. I couldnt quite make out what payment was for what week as she then went on to tell me I had been absent a further 3 times (despite the first lady I spoke to the other week assuring me that the rest of my register was correct). So I spent the rest of my lunch time speaking to the tutors, checking their registers. On two of the three registers I was marked in, so no idea what happened there, on the other I was missing from the register for some reason. Both tutors sent off emails to her to confirm my attendance. So again, I wait.

Just to rant off my problem about college - its Media Production. Ive spent the last few years making a few short films off my own back and have self taught myself quite a bit. I joined the course in hope of having a bit more structure and working on a lot more productions/practical work (rather than work a p/t job and try and get involved in non paid film work in my spare time which can become very demoralising when months pass in between). So far the course seems that anyone thats even picked up a camera and pressed record is far too advanced for the course. There is also far too much theory work. Ive got to write a short essay on interactive media (iPlayer etc), to me thats just completely pointless.

One last thing, and I do apoligize, but without sounding over dramatic, I dont really have anyone else to talk to about this - I was hoping I would be in a class with like minded creative people - people that I could network with outside of college in hope of working on short films etc. Well half of the class are there because its just something to do because school has ended and the rest really dont have any interest in media whatsoever, apart from 2 or 3 people out of the 18 in my group. I know media isnt just about film, although I think with this class there is a lack of interest in all media. I wouldnt mind so much if this course hadn't cost so much but for me to be paying £455 to work with people who f around all day is just a bit of a joke.