After the Work Programme

jayne30

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24346929

now some jobseekers will have to spend 9-5 in their job centres 5 days a week !

also of interest when asked about if job seekers will get travel costs covered for these work placements Duncan Smith said he was not making any commitments so looks like we will have to pay for the privledge of being slaves too.

imatt

So to get this into some sort of context.

The last Labour Government introduces Scheme A, the New Deal. It is slightly modified into scheme A.1, Flexible New Deal.

The incoming Tory Government is critical of scheme A and indeed the then Employment Secretary Chris Grayling promises that "we will not have people sat in a class room for 30 hrs a week doing nothing" as indeed happened on scheme A.

Thus the new government duly scraps Scheme A and ushers in Scheme B, the Work Program. Which it promises to be shinier, bolder and altogether better.

Surprise, surprise scheme B runs into trouble and is failing miserably after just one year of operation. The new Tory Work and Pensions Secretary, Ian D. Smith assures us all everything is tickety boo and Scheme B is working well.

Clients attending Scheme B are mandated to do so for up to two years. Those coming to the end of this two year period are thus returned to the Jobcenter from whence they came. Trouble is, the Job Centre is under resourced and has no idea what to do with all these extra returnees from Scheme B. After all, this scheme was supposed to get most of its clients into sustained employment. But it hasn't. So it's failed. But the government and especially Iain D. Smith refuses to acknowledge this.

This results in Gideon Osborn promising "tough love" for the long term jobless. Sign on EVERY day or do community work. Effectively Scheme C. But surely, if Scheme B was working, such tough love would not be necessary, right??? Now Iain D. Smith advocates Scheme D! Which will see jobseekers mandated to take classes inside Job Centres for 35 hrs a week. Lest any of them should be working on the sly you understand.

So to sum up, we have Scheme A (New Deal) which failed. Replaced by the failing Scheme B (Work Program). Scheme C (Workfare / Daily signing) will run alongside Scheme B despite Scheme B supposedly working and negating the need for Scheme C. And to top it all, Scheme D (35 hr. JobCentre attendance) will run alongside Scheme B and C whilst bearing all the hallmarks of Scheme A which not only failed but was slated by the current government.

Spike Milligan, John Cleese or Chris Morris penning the above as a comedy script would surely have it rejected as it would be considered too surreal and 'out there' even for them!

KevInChester

Expert support they said, I'm guessing by that they mean the same old 3rd grade CV writing, interview techniques and food hygiene courses? The gravy train isn't going to stop soon I imagine.

AP007

KevInChester wrote: »

Expert support they said, I'm guessing by that they mean the same old 3rd grade CV writing, interview techniques and food hygiene courses? The gravy train isn't going to stop soon I imagine.

Maybe the unemployed need to march on number 10

imatt

"There's a lot we need to do in this party of ours. Our base is too narrow and so, occasionally, are our sympathies. You know what some people call us – the Nasty Party."

Theresa May - Oct 2002.

Have the Tories learned nothing? I guess not! Perhaps Mrs May needs to have a word with her former self!

Chester666666

imatt wrote: »

"There's a lot we need to do in this party of ours. Our base is too narrow and so, occasionally, are our sympathies. You know what some people call us – the Nasty Party."

Theresa May - Oct 2002.

Have the Tories learned nothing? I guess not! Perhaps Mrs May needs to have a word with her former self!

She's too busy trying to dismantle the HRA because human rights as under that act are inconvenient

donnajunkie

jayne30 wrote: »

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24346929

now some jobseekers will have to spend 9-5 in their job centres 5 days a week !

also of interest when asked about if job seekers will get travel costs covered for these work placements Duncan Smith said he was not making any commitments so looks like we will have to pay for the privledge of being slaves too.

they will have to extend their opening hours then. mine only opens 9 to 5 at the moment and they would want people starting after they start and leaving before they finish. also mine doesnt open until 10am on wednesdays.

valacky

red_devil wrote: »

its going to take alot of admin and money to implement a scheme i believe its all talk.

Yes, I think you are right. We have all been on various work programs and know that JobCentres don't have toilet facilities or access to fresh drinking water for their 'clients' unlike the work program providers. These are basic requirements needed by law. They will also need extra trained staff to do such things as inductions, and I don't think they could cope with the extra work with current staff levels.

AP007

donnajunkie wrote: »

they will have to extend their opening hours then. mine only opens 9 to 5 at the moment and they would want people starting after they start and leaving before they finish. also mine doesnt open until 10am on wednesdays.

Will the people be getting subsistence for lunches? Harder to do a lunch out than when you are at home etc

AP007

valacky wrote: »

Yes, I think you are right. We have all been on various work programs and know that JobCentres don't have toilet facilities or access to fresh drinking water for their 'clients' unlike the work program providers. These are basic requirements needed by law. They will also need extra trained staff to do such things as inductions, and I don't think they could cope with the extra work with current staff levels.

Well my WP stopped everyone from coming in the building via reception for the last few months I was there (no idea why) and the door to the landing was locked and you had to put a hand up or go an interrupt someone for them to let you out as it was security locked.

My JC have no toilets for clients and you are told when there for a session like for Learn Direct if you need to use one you have to walk 5 mins to the shopping centre to use theirs. The JC wont know who is coming and going.