The Work Programme New Thread

Modster

Has anyone had the Job Centre office they attend changed to one in a different area?

Went to sign on today and they said everyone in my area on the work programme will be signing at a different office from next week. So instead of a 10 minute walk its now a 30 minute bus ride.

looby75

Modster wrote: »

Has anyone had the Job Centre office they attend changed to one in a different area?

Went to sign on today and they said everyone in my area on the work programme will be signing at a different office from next week. So instead of a 10 minute walk its now a 30 minute bus ride.

My JC didn't change but everyone on the work programme now signs on in a particular time slot and we all have a large WP on our JSA books.

jayne30

I too don't see the point of the work programme if your Cv is good and you can provide a good job seeking record. There is nothing they can do for me all I do now is go in every fortnight show my advisor a list of jobs I have applied for maybe talk about the ones I really want an interview from and thats it. This role should be done by the job centre staff when you sign, in theory 2 people are being paid for one job.

Not saying get rid of all employment programmes but think it should be means tested after 12 months of signing on and not mandatory for all. Those who are regularly late signing on, miss job centre appointments or who can't produce a list of jobs they have applied for every fortnight should be highlighted as needing extra help ie sent to work programme. Also those who express an interest in seeking help with their Cv, interview techniques etc or help with numeracy and literacy. They say this work programme helps people on an individual basis but for the individuals who need no extra help they are just made to attend an office once a fortnight just to duplicate what can be done when they see an advisor at the job centre when they sign on.

I did this 'mandatory' employability skills 6 day course in March and still don't have the certificate, I have asked a few times and been told they have only just started to get the certificates through from customers who did the course in January. So this really important mandatory course that will help me secure a job (their words) takes 6 months for the clarification that you completed the course and your certificate to arrive.

Unless I find work I am with my provider until January then get referred to a new one for the final 44 weeks. Hope they don't conjure up another mandatory course before I finish as whats the point I will have left them by the time they get around to issuing certificates.

looby75

I am really really upset at my WP at the moment. They have booked me in for job search next Wednesday, I phoned them up and asked if I could do it an hour later than the time they have put me in for as it's my sons leavers concert at school at the same time. They refused to let me.

So now I've got to miss my sons leavers concert to sit and use their crappy computers to do what I do every day at home anyway. I'm gutted

scooby088

I went to my provider last week, in their offices there were four brand new mountain bikes was thinking of asking for one so i can get fit. Amazingly I was given £26 for taxis to a place I did a shift at but they won't fund the training I want to get a job.

john539

looby75 wrote: »

I am really really upset at my WP at the moment. They have booked me in for job search next Wednesday, I phoned them up and asked if I could do it an hour later than the time they have put me in for as it's my sons leavers concert at school at the same time. They refused to let me.

So now I've got to miss my sons leavers concert to sit and use their crappy computers to do what I do every day at home anyway. I'm gutted

Phone them again, if they refuse, speak to the manager.

Ask to do earlier or day before.

They shouldn't be nasty like that.

donnajunkie

john539 wrote: »

Phone them again, if they refuse, speak to the manager.

Ask to do earlier or day before.

They shouldn't be nasty like that.

they can be idiots when they want to be. with mine we have scheduled phone calls every other friday morning. they dont have my mobile number and as far as they are concerned i dont have one. i realised that one of these phone calls was going to clash with me being away. so i asked if it could be moved. she refused and said no it cant be done any other day. she then said it doesnt matter it wont take long to call you on your mobile. i didnt correct her as the way she was talking i thought i would leave it to a later date to deal with it. what was worse is i had told her where i was going and it is obvious there is no signal there anyway. as things turned out she put me doing my cscs card and as a result canceled all phone call appointments for the next couple of months. so i didnt end up having to deal with it afterall.

looby75

Panic over, my sons leavers concert is in the morning I read the letter wrong

Still not impressed with their lack of flexibility though. If I was working I would have asked for the morning off or swapped a shift or something. It's not like I'd be messing out their appointments by going in an hour later because they don't actually do anything with you, you just sit in front of the computer for and hour

donnajunkie

looby75 wrote: »

Panic over, my sons leavers concert is in the morning I read the letter wrong

Still not impressed with their lack of flexibility though. If I was working I would have asked for the morning off or swapped a shift or something. It's not like I'd be messing out their appointments by going in an hour later because they don't actually do anything with you, you just sit in front of the computer for and hour

what it is is they only have so many computers and allocate so many people to each time slot with that in mind. of course i am sure they could have found another slot for you or even let you off on that one occasion. i am so tempted to develop an attitude in those type of situations but manage to bite my tongue. for example if i was you the first thing that would have come into my head to say to them is, so you think i am a criminal then? when they say no. i would then want to say well why are you treating me like one.

Bob42

I know this is a long shot, but has anyone had a positive result from the wp. Has anyone actually got a ......paid job from it.

Or is it just a load of bolognese.