In-work support - Work Programme

AP007

Claire_MUFC wrote: »

Dunno, I'm actually in their job ready group. Been attending a development session each week recently in which they have said we're all job ready just need that last bit of a confidence boost to be successful

I was marked work ready from the 1st day I attended the WP and when I left they lied and put I had low prospects.

They should have got the confidence boosted for you by now doing interview sessions and the like as I have already said to you

Claire_MUFC

AP007 wrote: »

I was marked work ready from the 1st day I attended the WP and when I left they lied and put I had low prospects.

They should have got the confidence boosted for you by now doing interview sessions and the like as I have already said to you

Some people's confidence can take longer to boost than others though. Me personally I have suffered with extremely bad confidence since I was in primary school, went to doctors last year and they said it sounds like social anxiety which I am now on tablets for. Just takes that bit longer to work my confidence than someone who's just 'shy', its a bit better than it was but still not great

Blackpool_Saver

is this the help for people with mental health problems?

Claire_MUFC

Blackpool_Saver wrote: »

is this the help for people with mental health problems?

Nope, our providee are apparently contracted to provide support once in work to all work programme candidates

AP007

This is what my WP provider says

• A Personal Adviser - no I had 12 in 2 years and never saw my named advisor from the date I got him Nov 2012 to the last apt June 2013
• Tailored support and guidance - no nothing tailored
• Help to create an effective CV and apply for jobs - no as said CV was good and didn't need help there.
• Assistance with improving communication skills - didn't need it
• Confidence, health management, wellbeing, lifestyle and motivational support - oh yes watched a session of clips and slides in June 2012 (after 23 months on the WP) telling me to dress up (I was always in a suit) and have a cut down on my booze intake!!!
• Advice on successful interview techniques - had session (30 mins) in month 21 and was asked if I wanted to TAKE THE SESSION! Then banned from answering the questions as she said she couldn't have my knowing the answers!
• A local, relaxed, friendly and fully resourced training centre - not local at all - near on 16 miles there and back on a bus taking almost 2.5 hours to go to and from. Fully resourced with old PC's running on Windows XP that crashed every time someone tried to log on with the wrong password. Some job sites blocked! Only PCs for 1 hour appointments. No one who needed it could just walk in and use them. An appointment had to be set up for your to do so. People left to do job searches along with no clue how to use the PC! I had to help them.
• Specific industry skills training - No there was from an accounts background, or banking or finance.
• Financial assistance with travel and childcare - could only claim travel on Mon, Wed & Friday at 10.45 to 12pm and 3pm to 4pm. Very screwed if your appointment was at 9am or 12pm etc

Claire_MUFC

AP007 wrote: »

This is what my WP provider says

• A Personal Adviser - no I had 12 in 2 years and never saw my named advisor from the date I got him Nov 2012 to the last apt June 2013
• Tailored support and guidance - no nothing tailored
• Help to create an effective CV and apply for jobs - no as said CV was good and didn't need help there.
• Assistance with improving communication skills - didn't need it
• Confidence, health management, wellbeing, lifestyle and motivational support - oh yes watched a session of clips and slides in June 2012 (after 23 months on the WP) telling me to dress up (I was always in a suit) and have a cut down on my booze intake!!!
• Advice on successful interview techniques - had session (30 mins) in month 21 and was asked if I wanted to TAKE THE SESSION! Then banned from answering the questions as she said she couldn't have my knowing the answers!
• A local, relaxed, friendly and fully resourced training centre - not local at all - near on 16 miles there and back on a bus taking almost 2.5 hours to go to and from. Fully resourced with old PC's running on Windows XP that crashed every time someone tried to log on with the wrong password. Some job sites blocked! Only PCs for 1 hour appointments. No one who needed it could just walk in and use them. An appointment had to be set up for your to do so. People left to do job searches along with no clue how to use the PC! I had to help them.
• Specific industry skills training - No there was from an accounts background, or banking or finance.
• Financial assistance with travel and childcare - could only claim travel on Mon, Wed & Friday at 10.45 to 12pm and 3pm to 4pm. Very screwed if your appointment was at 9am or 12pm etc

Wow, reading that your work programme provider truly was bad haha

Mine say most of that and have stuck to it.

Named personal advisor, I've had 3. First one left so couldn't really be helped, had her for 4 months. Second one was with for about 7 months, and then changed to the one I am with now as they felt I would be more comfortable asking her for help which I am

Travel expenses - that is awful that your provider only let you claim on certain days and times. Ours it doesn't matter what day or time your appointment is, they always refund us. They pay for interview clothes if needed. They pay for interview travel. Also if you get a job they pay for your travel until you get your first wages through.

Locality is great. Right next door to job centre which is only 10 mins on bus for me.

Office is fantastic, modern and computers run pretty fast. Ours are kind of relaxed on when you can use them as well, as long as their isn't a group session on you are free to use them. Even then if there is one computer free you can still use it

They've provided courses for people to get qualifications if its an area of worl they are interested in, I want an admin job and did NVQ admin through them and passed

Advisors always seem happy to help if they are free, even if not they still try and squeeze people in

Reading about your provider, it seems I'm very lucky with mine

AP007

Yeah like I say a total waste of time and my effort. I took it very seriously the first two visits then realised it was going to be a waste of time and was proved right. The JC even say they have not heard a good word about them.

dandelionclock30

AP007 wrote: »

I was marked work ready from the 1st day I attended the WP and when I left they lied and put I had low prospects.

They should have got the confidence boosted for you by now doing interview sessions and the like as I have already said to you

Why did they put down you had low prospects? Did you ask them how they came to this conclusion. I think thats pretty bad myself and I would have had to say something.
You say you have qualifications, references and a good working history.How can that equate to low prospects?. What do they say about those with no or few qualifications, poor work histories,gaps, criminal records etc? Do they put no f'king hope or worse on their files.

DollyDee_2

Can't comment on any of the WP stuff but the "£160 more than JSA", is that per month? Can't be per week can it - 16 hours @ £6.31 per hour is £100.96 per week (assuming the job pays NMW). So less than £20 per week better off (better than nothing I know).

Just saying.

scooby088

OP in work support there is none, I was with a provider and got employment myself, I had the spiel of another manager saying that if you need any help when in employment they are there, and that they would ring me to see how I was getting on.

None of that happened, I guess the support thing is the £30 asda vouchers you get for new clothing to start work with which I got the day I signed off from them, nothing more not even a phonecall not even a letter. And my provider was one of the better ones around.