Work Experience while on Jobseekers Allowance (WORK PROGRAMME)

JoJox

I am on Jobseekers allowance and I'm on The Work Programme. I've been told that i am doing work experience nxt week. And I am doing office work BUT I want to know if i can refuse work experience?

They are paying for my travel there. But wot rights hav i got while on the work programme? If i don't like the place do i hav a right to not go anymore? Do i lose my benefits? And also what times can they make me do a day or can i choose?

If anyone knows PLEASE can they let me know! Thank u all x:money:

DebiT

JoJox wrote: »

I am on Jobseekers allowance and I'm on The Work Programme. I've been told that i am doing work experience nxt week. And I am doing office work BUT I want to know if i can refuse work experience?

They are paying for my travel there. But wot rights hav i got while on the work programme? If i don't like the place do i hav a right to not go anymore? Do i lose my benefits? And also what times can they make me do a day or can i choose?

If anyone knows PLEASE can they let me know! Thank u all x:money:

Hi.
This may not be the best forum to ask. You may try here: www.workprogramme.org.uk
People are usually quite helpful there, they dont judge.

SarEl

In what way is it "judging" to expect someone to co-operate in gaining the skills and experience to obtain employment? I honestly do not know how successful these programmes are, but frankly, except for expecting them to help people into employment, I also do not care. JSA is for people who are seeking employment and if people claiming it do not want to show that they are doing so, then why should they be paid taxpayers money to "go their own way"? It is a work experience - not a lifetime commitment - and costs the OP nothing. Many people in employment have no choice but to go whether they "like the place" or not.

vax2002

It gets you in the spirit of getting up every morning and out to work, where you will be alongside those who pay your JSA.
Dont forget to thank them.

t0rt0ise

I was unemployed for 18 months recently. I wasn't on JSA in all that time but had I been I'd have presumably been put on this scheme.. had it been around then.. but I have a degree and I have an NVQ level 4 in Admin and 12 yeas admin experience so what would I have learnt from a short placement with an employer with no jobs available?

SarEl

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I was unemployed for 18 months recently. I wasn't on JSA in all that time but had I been I'd have presumably been put on this scheme.. had it been around then.. but I have a degree and I have an NVQ level 4 in Admin and 12 yeas admin experience so what would I have learnt from a short placement with an employer with no jobs available?

But that wasn't the question. The question was "if I don't like the place can I just not go any more and still get my benefits". Not, "I have lots of qualifications and experience and I cannot see what I would learn from a placement". However, even so, I could see some possible benefit from a work placement after such a long period out of work - for example to show that you haven't "lost the knack" of work and can still manage to hold down work and do things like be on time etc. It isn't always about learning something - it may be about proving something. We all know that it is harder to get employers to take you as seriously after a long time out of work and such a placement may be useful in showing that you want work and are capable of working. Or it may get you a foot in the door that you wouldn't otherwise have had. Or yes, maybe it would have been a complete waste of time. But so what? Isn't it still the point that if you want to claim taxpayers money then you have to evidence that you are actually doing everything they require to find a job, and if this is what is required, then so be it. As I said, the fact you may not "like" a place isn't relevant - you may not like your workplace either, but that isn't a valid reason to pack in working and claim benefits.

Smidster

t0rt0ise wrote: »

I was unemployed for 18 months recently. I wasn't on JSA in all that time but had I been I'd have presumably been put on this scheme.. had it been around then.. but I have a degree and I have an NVQ level 4 in Admin and 12 yeas admin experience so what would I have learnt from a short placement with an employer with no jobs available?

What would you get from it? Main thing is recent experience - the longer the gap in your CV the harder it is to find anything.

Secondly it would give you something to do!

DCFC79

Your being paid travel expenses OP, it may not be what you have in mind but its something to do.

SarEl

Interesting that the poster in post #2 thinks that the site they recommend is not judgemental.

Simply because a site tells you what you want to hear (JSA sanctions are illegal, for example) doesn't mean it isn't judgemental (or right!).

t0rt0ise

I think it would be degrading and I wonder if that's why others don't like the idea of it too. And having people assume that if I've been out of work for a while I will have forgotten how to get up in time is just a little bit offensive. I'm not sure whether having it on the CV would be a help or a hindrance, depends how it's seen by the employers.

Arg

SarEl wrote: »

In what way is it "judging"

Sounds pretty judgemental to me and for all your bleatings about taxpayers money you would think you would complain about the amount going to these failing programmes.