The Work Programme New Thread

Gaz1971

Elvisia wrote: »

Gaz - I would be tempted to report this guy!!

My next appointment is to re do my cv and if he fills it with a load of cobblers, its going to get a mention, I just need to know who to report them to!

No point reporting it to his boss, he employed him so is bound to take his side and sweep it under the carpet. JC dont like to hear anything bad about the WP, they think the WPP are all gods.

donnajunkie

Elvisia wrote: »

I was offered the chance to use a computer for half an hour twice a week. I was like, are you high, I have a macbook in my handbag right now, why am I going to a hot smelly room to sit using a slow computer that god knows who has been wiping themselves over.

mine is well aware that i have the net at home and still makes me go there once a fortnight to do jobsearch on their computers. the last time i was there the net was down. i was sat there for half an hour before someone finally said i could go. while it is pointless i prefer it to the alternative. anyone who isnt required to go there for jobsearch gets a phone call once a fortnight instead. they dont give a specific time. its either morning or afternoon. so you have to sit there waiting for a call that sometimes doesnt even come. one time when i was doing this my adviser changed it to be on a day when i was going to be away. when i told her she didnt like it and said i hope you are going to tell the jobcentre. she also suggested she could just phone me while i was away on my mobile. nevermind as far as she is concerned i dont have one and nevermind the fact that she knew were i was going has patchy mobile coverage. basically my adviser is the kind of person that is quite nice when you are telling her what she wants to hear. say anything she doesnt like and she gets stroppy and out of order.

john539

kizzie_nikita wrote: »

I will have to mention it at some point though, as i will probably get sanctioned for a long time otherwise.

There's nothing wrong with taking advantage of falling between gaps, where you have been forgotten, their stupidity, incompetence & mistakes, as long as you are aware & can cover it.

fiddlesticks

wantsajob wrote: »

I see it differently. WP makes money when people get jobs, and presumably when they sanction people. Signing off doesn't serve their purpose (unless that person wouldn't have got a job anyway).

They do not get paid when they sanction people, nor when someone signs off. part of the contract with DWP is that they have to sanction people in certain situations,

-PhDbum
Good luck to you, I was in a similar situation. I managed a year of minimum wage science jobs before I gave up, spent 2 years out of work and then got an non science job,with a decent income. Which incidentally the WP found me.

donnajunkie

fiddlesticks wrote: »

They do not get paid when they sanction people, nor when someone signs off. part of the contract with DWP is that they have to sanction people in certain situations,

i bet theres alot of assumption that someone has got a job when all they have done is signed off. the main aim of the government is to get people off benefits. they dont care if its for a job or not. as far as sanctions go the dwp arent looking over their shoulders so they could easily let alot of things go if they wanted to. when they dont it is either coz they are too thick to realise they could or they are just plain heartless. of course if someone is constantly taking the p**s or doing something other people notice then you would have no choice.

dandelionclock30

One of the things that gets me is that its all well and good them trying to get highly qualified people into basic jobs.The majority of unemployed people will do most jobs, as nobody wants all this signing on rubbish.
However employers often will not have highly qualified people for basic jobs as they can pick and choose.They want people with little or no qualifications who have done the same type of work before. Thats the reality of the situation.
If people are getting threatened about sanctions by the staff, when its not necessary then they need to complain- ask for the procedure. If you dont get anywhere with them then contact your M.P.
At the end of the day being unemployed isnt a crime, we didnt chose this stupid system.If the government were really interested in helping unemployed people then they would be helping everybody to retrain and providing proper paid work experience. Instead everybody is forced to apply for the same 3 jobs that have been there for weeks and probably dont exist anyway.

donnajunkie

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

If people are getting threatened about sanctions by the staff, when its not necessary then they need to complain- ask for the procedure. If you dont get anywhere with them then contact your M.P.

you cant complain if you have technically broken the rules and they refer you for a sanction. my point is they could let some things go if they wanted to and considering how tough the sanction regime is they probably should. people shouldnt be losing several weeks money or more for first offence. why people are so keen to see people sanctioned i dont know. i know if i was doing that kind of job i would do my best to avoid sanctioning people.

Who?_me?

dandelionclock30 wrote: »

I tried to start the GTP programme but I realised when I rang the course leader, that I need to be employed as an unqualified teacher status, and then I can start the course. The GTP course only ends this year, and a new one in place of that starts next year called school direct.

I thought about the PGCE but I can't afford to do it. Though my other option is beg my brother and get him to pay for the CELTA. Though I need to research it. To be honest, I am actually happy finding any kind of work to keep me from having to go sign, and I can still look for my area of work in the meantime. So the teaching thing is actually a great help, thank you for that.

.

Im surprised they want teaching qualifications for classroom/teaching assistants. Where I live at a local college you can do a certificate to be a classroom assistant or learning mentor/ general helper in the classroom. Its free to those on benefits, have a look to see if theres anything like this in your area.[/QUOTE]
1. There are no jobs in teaching. At all. There are 10,000s of unemployed teachers (on the work program). There is no supply work. This is all done by unqualified people.
2. There are no jobs as teaching assistants - you just need a teaching assistant qualification (NVQ L3 I think), not a teaching qualifcation. You will need a school that will support you, and allow you to volunteer with them. Teachers are going for TA posts just to stay in the system and get their face seen.
3. They are cutting back on teacher training posts as there is no need for more teachers to be trained.
Unless you are under 30, single and are able to re locate, your chances of getting a job are miniscule.
With what Gove (and friends) are doing to Education, I know ex colleagues who are over worked, stressed and bullied. This is not by the kids, they are the least of a teachers problems. This is due to government "ideas", Ofsted and general pressure for targets, league tables and so on.

So saying, about the teaching qualification, you now no longer need one to teach in Private schools, Free schools and accadamies. So may be you can become a teacher.

soundbox

donnajunkie wrote: »

i remember i got asked are you gay or are you normal. i pointed out they may want to rethink how they word it as someone could be offended.

Are they even allowed to ask that? I'm pretty damn sure they can't ask you your sexual orientation. I'd be all over asking why I was asked this, about procedures etc. and then complaining to hell and back.

dandelionclock30

Its not me that wants to teach in any capacity. I know what thats like.The forum people messed up the O.P s post and put it on a s mine.
Where I live theres that free courses too at a local FE college.Iknow two teachers who have been made redudant one was pensioned off and the other was youngish mid 20s and now she works in customer services.
Schools are noted for being bad for bullying of staff. But if you can keep quiet you may be able to cope with it.