make do and mend for tougher times

Uniscots97

Smiley, what's he interested in? There are apprenticeships for older people you just need to know where to look. Sometimes the volunteer services (the ones that will help with CV's etc and help you find volunteer work) will also have info on apprenticeships for older people and also try the council. There's a young man working at the PC repair shop near my Gran who has asperger's and he loves his job. He loves serving the customers as long as he knows them, but fixing the pc's is what he loves best. The owner took him on 8 years ago and he's been there ever since.

Pooky

My eldest is working for co-0p too, 8 hr contract at nearly twice minimum wage for her age and they work her shifts around college and her voluntary work. They felt very strongly that she needed to keep that going, as do we. So far they seem like a fantastic employer for her.

Possession - getting the kids to do extra things is such a great idea, DD1 took part in a project over the summer that was to get youngsters involved in caring for their community, they had a weeks residential team bonding course then were given a budget and had to get a project going locally. It gives them a National Citizenship Award which can be applied to their c.v. And from next year employers have to give preference to interviewes that have done the course as it shows they've not just sat around doing nothing.

Teens need to be shown the importance of a work ethic and responsibilities that comes with it.

Possession

Pooky wrote: »

Possession - getting the kids to do extra things is such a great idea, DD1 took part in a project over the summer that was to get youngsters involved in caring for their community, they had a weeks residential team bonding course then were given a budget and had to get a project going locally. It gives them a National Citizenship Award which can be applied to their c.v. And from next year employers have to give preference to interviewes that have done the course as it shows they've not just sat around doing nothing.

Teens need to be shown the importance of a work ethic and responsibilities that comes with it.

Agree completely. And one of the things I liked about the secondary school I hope DS will get into is that they (head boy and girl and deputies) devoted part of their speech to extra-curricular stuff like DOE awards. I worked part time (at Mr T!) from the day I turned 16, my birthday in fact, but if that isn't possible for my children they are certainly going to be doing something useful.
I'm going to be so popular aren't I?!

VJsmum

Possession wrote: »

Fuddle I'm the same, I always imagined my children going to uni as DH & I did, but now I'm not sure it's necessarily a good idea. It's just as hard for graduates to get jobs as everyone else. One thing I will be making sure - that they do lots of extra stuff like charity work, Duke of Edinburgh award. When they're just starting out they need to be able to stand out a bit and it will do them the world of good.
Poor DD is asleep on the sofa at last, she has a sickness bug.
DH's 2nd interview this morning went very well he thinks, so we're waiting to hear the results. He's now prepping for tomorrow's interview, he must have been very wicked.

Can I disagree? I know I work in Uni so may have a skewed view but I do also have 2 teenage children. I think kids need as much qualification as they can get / afford (the affording is a whole other debate and don't think that the Universities are benefitting from this increase in fees as, in fact, we are worse off than we were before). But it probably needs to be a relevant / vocational degree.

Most teenagers I would venture are unaware of the vast range of degrees on offer. Most think of history, geography etc - or the more $exy ones like graphics, film, fashion. But a good vocational degree will set them up for life. i have a degree in Quantity Surveying - i'd never heard of it till i was 17 and didn't really know what it was even when I started the course, I just knew it was something to do with building. I have been through 3 recessions since graduating and never really been out of work for any length of time. Employers will always choose those with qualifications - probably won't even look at the CVs of those without. Also the "Russell Group" (top 20) universities, whilst they may look good on paper don't always offer the vocational stuff (i am not sure if any do a building related degree except Architecture), so don't automatically be put off if your degree isn't in one of those uni's. Our average graduate salary last year was £24,000 - even in this climate (the top one was £75,000 :eek: but he had loads of experience and was very senior in his company and STILL he needed the bit of paper!).

Sorry, bit of a soapbox. And makes a hypocrite of me as my DD wants to be an Actor! However, I am hoping that we have enough funds put away for her to do a masters in something practical / vocational if that doesn't work out.

boultdj

fuddle wrote: »

That's me £26 down from ordering 2 work t-shirts and a sweatshirt. The girls have also said to get some flossies to wear as they are so comfy wandering around the dinner hall. Anyone know what the pickle flossies are? Shoes I think! It costs to conform!

Sorry for getting you cross Kate

I've filled in my medical questionnaire for the council house. I wrote about feeling trapped, about how it causes me worry, how my LL attitude brought on a panic attack. How the mould makes me upset. It's all true but reads so trivial. I feel really stupid for documenting it. I cope with it just fine - why should I have greater need over someone else? I'm alright. Still, you do what you have to do. Don't you? I feel, a bit like I'm making a fuss to get my own way.

You not making a fuss, your taking care of your's and your familie's long term health, and it's not trivial if your LL's attitude bring's on panic attack's, it's a form of bullying and as an asthmatic[me] I can tell you that the council are quick to deal with mould issue's, the house we had before this 1 was terrible for mould due to it needing updating and we reported it to them and they said seeing as someone in the house had asthma we were class as urgent to sort it seeing as it could make the attack's a lot worse.hth

nuttyp

Pooky, my daughter did the NCS course in the summer. She went to lincoln to collect her certificate and we saw what the other groups did. They did the crazy gold course for the local adult daycare centre. It was a great idea. Are you takeing part in the next course???

Finally finished cleaning/rearranging the living room. Have put some chicken legs in the oven on low, peeled 1 potatoe - it was huge!! and a few mixed frozen veg. Thats tea sorted. If theres any left over i can have it tomorrow as i have a late shift down the bookies. Desperatley want to get a different job, hours are totally unorganised as it seems we need to be available to work 7 days a week from 745am till 10pm. Finally received next weeks rota today, and again im working all weekend. I would like to see my family - please. Sorry rant over.

boultdj

Smileyt, 25 is the oldest you can get an apprentiship here in Derbyshire, it's an engeniring firm, but the county website has detail's of all the appentiship's in the area so it might be worth a look on your countie's site to see if they do the same.hth

westcoastscot

hi everyone,
so many excellent posts and I cannot recall what I wanted to say to each of you - but aren't we great???? :rotfl: Between us we have this huge store of knowledge and experience to share, and everyone is so generous with their time here. I'm humbled by how many have sent messages and given ideas and links for me to read - I feel much more proactive today, and will follow up every lead. Thankyou!

kidcat I think you're correct - totally got the wrong end of the stick with the article fuddle posted!!!!

Re: minimum wage - I think its a pittance, and we've gone from a society where a man (or woman) could do an honest day's work an earn enough to keep his family to a situation where both parents have to work, or a working man is on benefits - it isn't right!

Popperwell

fuddle wrote: »

I've filled in my medical questionnaire for the council house. I wrote about feeling trapped, about how it causes me worry, how my LL attitude brought on a panic attack. How the mould makes me upset. It's all true but reads so trivial. I feel really stupid for documenting it. I cope with it just fine - why should I have greater need over someone else? I'm alright. Still, you do what you have to do. Don't you? I feel, a bit like I'm making a fuss to get my own way.

I cope/get on with things...as you do Fuddle. Grey Queen, SmileyT and many on here too but many of us have conditions and other issues that we adapt to/work around. So when filling in forms especially to do with Government/authorities the CAB told me it is too easy to make it sound as though your problems are nothing so be honest with your information but give your worst case scenario. How you feel when things aren't good.

After the discussions about the changes to council tax and possible worries and in recent days/weeks about other changes coming in as of tomorrow(I believe)they are new rules coming in that will make it harder to buy a property. So whether you stay put or wish to move renting may be the way to continue for as long as possible.

They are going to scrutinise outgoings more, income but even look into if in the future rates go sky high by silly amounts you could still cope...so they think more will fail at the first hurdle(even if this seems a way to avoid getting into debt or losing the home)this may see even more people giving up and going into the rental market.

Which we know means there is a shortage of social housing and we are told(generalisation here)private LL are charging more so again it is difficult for many to afford the rent but then you have the Government trying to stop/reduce the help they give by capping what you are given in housing benefit and other benefits.

Their idea being to try and force LL's to reduce what they ask for from tennants but there are still enough people wanting to rent so many LL can charge what they wish(and to some extent if they can why wouldn't they. Though some LL's know it is hard for people and would rather take less money but have a decent tennant, regular income and an occupied property.

So renting may be the way to go for many years to come...

http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/tough-mortgage-rules-hit-first-053807914.html

So everyone is being hit from all sides...

7_week_wonder

Afternoon, I hope everyone is not doing too badly.

Can I ask some advice? Our cat has been missing for a few weeks now, he is chipped, and we have leafleted the neighbourhood but nothing. Given that he is a complete coward and never stays out for more than 24 hours we are assuming the worst so I have cleared away all his stuff (litter tray, bowls etc) and resigned myself to having lost our wee boy . As we have always been cat people we've begun thinking that we would wait until Spring and then maybe see about getting two rescue kittens (we'd got our boy and his sister as rescue kittens). But....... I've just heard that one of my colleagues OH works at a vets and they are currently looking for a home for two 2-year old cats who have been abandoned. Most of me thinks it is too soon to think about new arrivals, but on the other hand.....

What does everyone think?