The Work Programme New Thread

SJI85

CD72 wrote: »

Thanks for your advice.

I asked about Access to Work with my advisor but he said he knew nothing. Having the facility to travel would be a massive help in my profession.

Have you spoken to the disability adviser at your jobcentre? They should be able to give you more information.

CD72

No, I haven't - but now you have mentioned it, I will look into it when I go in on Friday.

Thanks.

grai

CD72 wrote: »

Hi Grai... thanks for your reply.

I have an interview with an advisor on Friday and I know it's going to be a battle of wills.

good luck with that

may not be as bad as you dread - often they just want to check you are who you are claiming to be and need to see house bills and passport etc

pretty routine

my personal golden rule - not easy - is to never argue with them no matter how obnoxious they are

nine times out of ten they are just wanting to get a reaction and you are always better off keeping quiet and being polite

they HATE that!

SJ32116

It really is nothing short of a national scandal these jokers at various work programme companies are getting paid so much of the publics money. I've been with the Work Programme properly about 2 months now and I'm in shock at just what a joke it is.

After the original appointment I was ignored for a month completely and now they're constantly dragging me in for nonsense reasons. I've done 4 "sessions" with a trainer which is basically sitting in a room with about 15 others while they insult your intelligence for 2 hours going over basic things like how to find jobs to apply for and what is a CV.

The advisor sees me for all of about 2 minutes which is pretty annoying as well because it's a 3 hour round trip to town and back on public transport. I wouldn't mind if he was doing anything useful with me but he checks my job tracker then sends me on my way which could easily be done over e-mail.

I've got some structured job search sessions next week. I obviously haven't done them yet but I'm assuming they make me do the same job search I do everyday at home just in their office on computers 3 times slower than mine being interrupted by chavs mouthing off.

I really just had to rant about what a !!!! poor service this is because obviously you can't say anything bad about it to the actual provider or job centre even if constructive because they just say it's tough.

donnajunkie

SJ32116 wrote: »

The advisor sees me for all of about 2 minutes which is pretty annoying as well because it's a 3 hour round trip to town and back on public transport. I wouldn't mind if he was doing anything useful with me but he checks my job tracker then sends me on my way which could easily be done over e-mail.

you dont want longer appointments because they would be filled with them giving you a hard time. in and out is the best scenario for you believe me. be thankful for that aspect of your experience with them.

red_devil

No, but you could email your mp and tell them what a waste of time it is.

donnajunkie

red_devil wrote: »

No, but you could email your mp and tell them what a waste of time it is.

but if people doing this were to effect any change it would be a change for the worse. unless you are being bullied or treated unfairly in a serious way its not worth saying anything.

SJ32116

Unfortunately my MP is Ed Milliband so it means local issues aren't really his priority. Can't remember the last time he did anything locally of any worth :rotfl:

I just find it so frustrating that's all. Give me some proper help or support or opportunities and I'll snap your hand off but condescend, insult me and wasting my time doesn't seem helpful. Unfortunately that seems to be government policy to punish and degrade people who happen to be unemployed rather than help them so I can't see any change.

Nuisance91

SJ32116 wrote: »

However I'm not a fan of them trying to force warehouse work on me and that's all they send me in e-mails about "job opportunities". Even more insultingly half of these are warehouse "apprenticeships" which means doing the same hard manual work as everyone else in the warehouse for less than half the pay!

Wow, sounds so much like my WP place, offering warehouse apprenticeships. I got offered one, £5 an hour, I asked if it would rise when I turn 21 to match the NMW and I got asked what sort of experience do I have to be entitled to a rise... At that point I just wanted to tear the whole place down. I then got told that I should be taking any job they give me, thats why Im there and then got told I dont need to be on JSA cause I live with my family (he asked me if I live with my family).

Morlock

Apprenticeships were traditionally about learning skills for trades. Nowadays they are used as a form of corporate welfare for anything from shelf-stacking to moving boxes. Companies know that if they offer 'apprenticeships', 'apprentices' will be funded by taxpayers and the European Social Fund through the Skills Funding Agency.

They are yet another method of sucking the corporate welfare teat to secure cheap or free labour, as are all other forms of workfare, such as work experience placements, mandatory work activity, sector based work academies etc.