The Work Program

Vincent_Buenisedes

Parva wrote: »

I've experienced the WP first hand and can safely say that I was unimpressed. Having explained to the girl dealing with me on my first appointment that I had only ever done litho printing since I left school (some 27 years ago) and knew nothing else I also said that I would consider driving jobs upto and including 7.5 tonne provided that it wasn't multi-drop.

So we proceeded with the rest of the computerised questions until she pressed something which made the computer say no. 15 minutes of pointless mouse clicking ensued but the computer had definitely thrown its teddy. Anyway, we continued and during the diatribe I was being fed she said "We don't force you into any job you don't want to do".

Another 10 minutes passed and we moved onto some job searching. She said "How about this one, National Express require a security guard?". Errrm, not really my field love. "Ah, there's a full time warehouse operative required at Castleford". The long journey aside, what relevance do these jobs have for me?

Fortunately I managed to get off the merry-go-round that is the WP but I don't envy anyone that is subject to this shambles.

I had the same experience on Flexible New Deal. The first fifteen minutes of my appointment was a simple review of my job search and a quick glance at some jobs they selected. The remaining fifteen minutes were devoted to my advisor trying to book the next appointment on their pitiful excuse of a computer system!

imatt

I also agree that past performance has not been what it should have been.

I have to defend the ideas behind the WP and what I have been in contact with because I see good things happening. Unfortunately this is not replicated around the country by the reports on here.

Then, sorry this is not good enough. Whilst YOU may do a decent job and offer a reasonable service, there is far too mucch evidence, not just stories, of bad practice. One word seems to be missing...CONSISTENCY! Would it be acceptable to experience a particular supermarket offering extremely bad service only to be told by someone who works there or indeed the MD/Chairman of said retailer, "sorry you had a bad experience at our Gateshead store, but many of our other stores are much better you know"....?

Of course, with a supermarket one does reserve the right to use one of their competitors.....

dandelionclock30

What I would like to know is if you are doing voluntary work already do you have to give it up to do a Work Programme Placement? Also how long is the placement and say if you dont get a job(which lets face it a lot wont), how long do you have before you have to do it again?

DebiT

saintjammyswine wrote: »

Have to agree with this part. I wish WP was perfect. Of course I do and I & the people I deal with try and make sure it is of value and provides the service it is supposed to.

Where there is bad service then yes, the client should have the right to either change provider or, with evidence that it happens, use other methods to gain employment.

I also agree that past performance has not been what it should have been.

I have to defend the ideas behind the WP and what I have been in contact with because I see good things happening. Unfortunately this is not replicated around the country by the reports on here.

You really cant be serious. I dont know how you have the nerve to talk about the service you offer, when you spend all your time on this website. You say your line manager and IT manager are ok with it, but if thats true, that makes them as bad as you.
To hear you talk, you are there helping so many people into work, when the reality is that you spend your days on this (and probably many other) forums.
No wonder there are so many horror stories about Employment advisors, its nothing more than masked unemployment, and you should be ashamed.

My friend was on FND, their advisor never had time to find them a placement because they said they had too many other customers to deal with and not enough time. They just checked her jobsearch and printed out the next job log. They probably spent all their time on the internet as well.:mad:

josie.d

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

What I would like to know is if you are doing voluntary work already do you have to give it up to do a Work Programme Placement? Also how long is the placement and say if you dont get a job(which lets face it a lot wont), how long do you have before you have to do it again?

At my induction, I was told that although I was already doing voluntary work (admin and also a charity shop), a work experience placement would be better as it would give me 'proper' experience, and I would have to forego my regular voluntary work while this 'work experience' was taking place. WHAT????????

I believe it is for four weeks, and not many end up with a job at the end of it (probably because there is another WP candidate to take on afterwards)

Bella_b

I've only just been referred and have had my welcome interview and induction meeting but nothing else. I have been referred to Job fit which works with Salvation Army Employment plus. I don't know what to think yet as have only met my advisor briefly. She seemed quite nice. I am meant to be seeing her this week I guess.. as it meant to be every 2 weeks..but she has yet to contact me. I think the WP is meant to be better than New Deal as the advisors can help you for up to 2-3 years even after you have found sustainable employment. They don't get paid until they get you into a job you want and that is suited to you.

DebiT

Bella_b wrote: »

I've only just been referred and have had my welcome interview and induction meeting but nothing else. I have been referred to Job fit which works with Salvation Army Employment plus. I don't know what to think yet as have only met my advisor briefly. She seemed quite nice. I am meant to be seeing her this week I guess.. as it meant to be every 2 weeks..but she has yet to contact me. I think the WP is meant to be better than New Deal as the advisors can help you for up to 2-3 years even after you have found sustainable employment. They don't get paid until they get you into a job you want and that is suited to you.

I think its more like they harrass you for 2-3 years. They keep tabs on you. If you were to sign off because you found your own job, they would still try to find out who you were working for, so that they could claim the "reward money".

dandelionclock30

Realistically I cant see them finding enough placements for all the unemployed,unless they make lots of people redundant and then give their jobs to the work programme people.Which is not totally beyond the realms of possibility! I dont know how people can work on these schemes,lying and !!!!!!!!ting the unemployed.I saw a job for a groupworker for one of these providers and I just couldnt deliver that crap and lie to people. It would be soul sucking.

imatt

And yet another issue with the WP is the sheer lack of accountability from both the actual program and the companies administering the whole shambles. Names such as Serco, A4e, G4s are not only players in the WP, they are collectively involved in so many aspects of what society relies on such as detention centres, prisons, air traffic control, education, debt advice, helping fix ‘broken’ families, looking after the British nuclear arsenal (creation and decommissioning) in the case of Serco who also have the contract to run the speaking clock!!!

All supposedly at a lower cost. However, it usually costs the tax payer when they screw up. I liken these companies to something akin to OCP from ‘Robocop’, where its senior VP quips “good business is where you find it!”

Of course, neither you or I voted for this. Nor was there a referendum. Indeed, the public are not aware of the scope of these firms’ activities. In fact, most have never really heard of them. Little wonder that they’re often called “the biggest companies you never heard of”!

saintjammyswine

DebiT wrote: »

You really cant be serious. I dont know how you have the nerve to talk about the service you offer, when you spend all your time on this website. You say your line manager and IT manager are ok with it, but if thats true, that makes them as bad as you.
To hear you talk, you are there helping so many people into work, when the reality is that you spend your days on this (and probably many other) forums. no, only this one.
No wonder there are so many horror stories about Employment advisors, its nothing more than masked unemployment, and you should be ashamed. I am not an employment advisor

My friend was on FND, their advisor never had time to find them a placement because they said they had too many other customers to deal with and not enough time. They just checked her jobsearch and printed out the next job log. They probably spent all their time on the internet as well.:mad:

Again, not an employment advisor.