Flexible New Deal (JSA) and travel times to work

wobblymummy

I thought it was 90 minutes travel for a position, to be honest I wouldnt travel for 3 hours each day to get to work personally let alone more. I would look into this if I were you, they cant just change the rules for one person because the advisor doesnt like them !

adinuff_2

90 mins? OK if that's what they want, you need to use the website "transportdirect (dot) info" or the journey planner on the Directgov site (its what the DM would use and they're both the same) Its the the site that staff need to use to claim any expenses/time and its also what the department uses if they need to transfer staff to another location due to "Business Needs".

The Jobcentre should not allow you to apply for/give you any details for a vacancy you are not able to do (They should use "knock-out factors" ie are you qualified). The FND partner should be the same.

Hope this helps

Oldernotwiser

miss_d_bus wrote: »

I have a masters degree in information technology but appropriate jobs with requiring those skills are like gold dust here. I made the 'mistake' of specialising in a niche of web design that makes me very unemployable except by big businesses as it is a role often done by computer programmers in small businesses.

Is it then unreasonable to expect you to live in, or travel to, an area where these big businesses are located?

miss_d_bus

Thanks adinuff. I used the Traveline last night to calculate the travel times, including walking to prove that my advisor was talking nonsense. Its a pretty good website. His estimate of rail fares was a good £2000 out too.

Oldernotwiser - I am happy to work in other areas, if it is suitable to my abilities, using what the career advisors love to talk about, transferable skills. I am realistic; if the work does not exist then I cannot wait a decade on the hope that a job might come up and I will get it. I have worked as an IT technican for years and would take a job in that if it comes up as well, even though its mind numbingly boring. I also have a masters degree in terrorism studies. I am not expecting find a job relating to that as I did it for enjoyment. However, on your basis, I hear Australia are screaming out for computer graduates - should I emigrate?
I am not looking for excuses to avoid work (another threat I created was about going off JSA for 2 weeks for a temp job) but it is not reasonable to expect someone who has a fear of routines being messed up and excess noise to commute up to 6-7 hours a day. I have been honest about my problems, not to make excuses, but to explain the situation on the hope that someone would treat me sensitively. Some have and I thank you all for this.

Mr_Falling_Star

The travel time is calculated from the time your heel leaves your front doorstep to the time your toe touches work. As pointed out JC+ and FND providers use travel website to calculate the times. It shouldn't be a issue unless they are either having a hard time finding jobs for you OR you keep rejecting the ones the they do give you.

If it comes to a dispute some areas have a travel advisor who will work out a travel plan for you.

chris1973

There is no law to say that you can't look around and apply for Jobs yourself!.

So start sending applications in for jobs in locations where you are prepared to travel too.

If the situation is that bad then surely it should be worth the effort and goal to get a job by your own efforts, just to wipe the smug grin from his face

Take him out of the equation and Problem solved

Oldernotwiser

miss_d_bus wrote: »

However, on your basis, I hear Australia are screaming out for computer graduates - should I emigrate?

Whilst I appreciate that you are being facetious, it's interesting that you consider this to be a ridiculous suggestion.

The point I was making is that it would be sensible to relocate to the place where jobs are available ( or to an area where commuting is possible) rather than complaining that there are no suitable jobs in the area where you currently live.

miss_d_bus

chris1973 - I have been looking hard for jobs and attending interviews and have done so many that I have lost count. If I relied on the Job Centre/FND, I wouldn't have been to any interviews. If you are suggesting I am sitting around hoping they would find me a job then that is totally incorrect. I wouldn't trust them to it properly anyway and give me the correct information before the closing date. The point is, if they are meant to help me overcome barriers to find work, they could at least start by asking what my skills are. They seem uninterested.

It is a ridiculous suggestion in my case to move abroad because I am not prepared to start again and give up my friends and my boyfriend. Its bad enough being away from my family. I wouldn't cope by myself and most autistic people can't handle huge changes. It might be a good idea for some people but its just not me. I'm not going to get into discussions as to why we cannot relocate but just take my word for it that moving isn't possible. Various people rely on me to be here.
My original post was not a complaint about my locale but rather hoping to find out whether my FND advisor had got his facts right. My locality might be better than I think - I was hoping the FND people would help me with this barrier by telling me a bit about the local job market such as the SMEs that tend to be below the radar but they have absolutely no idea what is in their area apart from the huge companies!
I apologise for being a bit defensive but we aren't all sitting about on our bums watching daytime TV. I dislike the subtext that because I am not prepared to upsticks or spend 6-7 hours a day commuting and £6000 a year on rail fares that I am work shy. I have been working really hard to get a job but in the end my lack of verbal communication skills will always hold me back in an interview. I dont have the edge and its not a negative attitude that's the problem (I am being a realist) but a serious problem in being able to present myself in the way that's suitable to an employer. This is going to be a problem whether its a London job or one down the road and as yet, the system hasn't really given me any help with this, despite regularly asking for it for over a year. In the end, the other candidates have got to be ropey for anyone to hire someone who can't easily maintain eye contact. Simple as.

Oldernotwiser

miss_d_bus wrote: »

I was hoping the FND people would help me with this barrier by telling me a bit about the local job market such as the SMEs that tend to be below the radar but they have absolutely no idea what is in their area apart from the huge companies!

But you yourself have said that it's only the biggest employers that would employ someone with your skills!

I haven't meant to imply that you're sitting round doing nothing all day or even enjoying being unemployed. I've been trying to suggest that you need to take yourself and your future career more seriously. Your career will, hopefully, span the next 30/40 years of your life and deserves more serious care than worrying about where your current friends live or whether you can drive there in 8 minutes.

I wish you all the very best with your job hunting.

Mr_Falling_Star

The National Autistic Society are running a campaign about Autisic people and employment at the moment.

http://www.dontwritemeoff.org.uk/

As for self employment both JC+ and FND providers use business link (or a similar council run scheme) as they have no schemes themselves. Have a idea then give them a ring, they a quite helpful and there are grants usually available to help you start up.

To bust this problem open one of two things have got to happen.

A) You move to where the jobs you want are

or

You look for a different Job


I think thats the long and the short of it, both options get you out of FND