Advice needed regarding Mandatory work experience

Andrea2528

tomtontom wrote: »

Are you getting any help to manage your condition? Social anxiety can be debilitating, but you're not going to move forward unless you expose yourself to new situations.

I've been to see psychologists and counsellors regarding it and tried cbt and it hasn't worked at all. I don't think it does for everybody. That's the thing, I realise that I need to do something but going on the MWA after having been out of work for so long, is too much, especially if it's working in a shop, which is what I think he mentioned. Anyway, I explained to him about a month ago, that going on the MWA would be too much at the moment. I was on ESA but they refused it after the interview with ATOS. I am now on Job Seekers Allowance.

Andrea2528

Flyonthewall wrote: »

It doesn't really work like that, the idea is stay in one place and keep volunteering to prove yourself employable.

However, volunteering for one place for short lengths of time may work well for you. If it starts to get too much you can remind yourself you're not there much longer and hopefully you can force yourself too keep going. No pressure to stay all day everyday and hopefully as you get to know people there you'll feel happier sticking around.

He sounds a rubbish advisor, but he may well have changed his mind by next time.

Try not to worry (easier said than done, I know). Look for voluntary work you'd like to do and see if you can get anything. If you do tell the advisor. If he tries to put you on MWA just say you already found something that is suitable and be firm, but polite. He can't force you to do anything you don't want to do.

Try looking on here: https://do-it.org/opportunities/search

You seem to understand what I'm talking about. I think voluntary work is similar to the MWA but with some types of voluntary work, there wouldn't be as much pressure to stick to the one place. The advisor isn't any good really and he's never that helpful if I ask questons. I think that I'm always polite and that I keep to my side of the deal about turning up at the Job Centre at the right times, etc., but he doesn't think anything of letting me wait for up to 30 minutes. A month ago, I thought he was starting to accept the idea of me doing voluntary work to suit my situation due to the social anxiety. I set out to get in touch with the voluntary organisations (which I found really quite difficult). They said they would sort something out so that I was able to go back and tell the advisor. However, when it was time to sign on, the advisor seemed to have reverted back to me going on the Mandatory Work Activity. I told him the voluntary organisation was looking for something but he said that I could do that on top of my MWA. Why did he have a change of attitude? He knows how social anxiety affects me and why I'm not in employment but he continually tries to make my visit to the job centre really unpleasant. Aren't they supposed to help instead of making someone's confidence even lower. I told him that I don't want to be unemployed, I want help to find the right environment.

Andrea2528

DKLS wrote: »

In that case, tackle it and seek help, ask your GP for a referral to a low intensity CBT service, there is a great evidence base for CBT helping with anxiety.There are even free CBT resources online to help you

I was terrified of public speaking and it was holding my career back, so enrolled on a course run by RADA it was fantastic. It hasn't cured me, my knees knock and the I have a flock of butterflies in my stomach before speaking, but I can deliver a presentation to hundreds of people and engage the audience.

Whatever holds you back in life, done let it control you, take action and tackle it.

It seems to have worked well for you but I've tried cbt and it didn't work at all. I've been to see more than one counsellor and at least two psychologists.

FBaby

I rang the voluntary organisation in our area, who are trying to find something suitable. I told the personal advisor about this and then his attitude had completely changed from the previous fortnight when he seemed to be happy with me looking for a voluntary position. The first thing he said was that he was going to place me on the MWA. I couldn't believe what he was saying. The previous fortnight he seemed to agree to me doing voluntary work instead

I expect the issue is that he expected you to do a bit more during 2 weeks than just call the organisation and then just wait for them to call you back. I would think that he was happy for you to do voluntary work instead of MWA, but if you are not going to make a genuine effort towards finding voluntary work, then he is not going to be so accommodating.

Flyonthewall

Andrea2528 wrote: »

You seem to understand what I'm talking about. I think voluntary work is similar to the MWA but with some types of voluntary work, there wouldn't be as much pressure to stick to the one place. The advisor isn't any good really and he's never that helpful if I ask questons. I think that I'm always polite and that I keep to my side of the deal about turning up at the Job Centre at the right times, etc., but he doesn't think anything of letting me wait for up to 30 minutes. A month ago, I thought he was starting to accept the idea of me doing voluntary work to suit my situation due to the social anxiety. I set out to get in touch with the voluntary organisations (which I found really quite difficult). They said they would sort something out so that I was able to go back and tell the advisor. However, when it was time to sign on, the advisor seemed to have reverted back to me going on the Mandatory Work Activity. I told him the voluntary organisation was looking for something but he said that I could do that on top of my MWA. Why did he have a change of attitude? He knows how social anxiety affects me and why I'm not in employment but he continually tries to make my visit to the job centre really unpleasant. Aren't they supposed to help instead of making someone's confidence even lower. I told him that I don't want to be unemployed, I want help to find the right environment.

FBaby wrote: »

I expect the issue is that he expected you to do a bit more during 2 weeks than just call the organisation and then just wait for them to call you back. I would think that he was happy for you to do voluntary work instead of MWA, but if you are not going to make a genuine effort towards finding voluntary work, then he is not going to be so accommodating.

FBaby could well be right. You need to be doing more yourself rather than waiting for the organisation.

MWA would probably be too many hours for you then to volunteer on top so he probably has assumed that you're not actually bothering to find volunteer work and it's just a way to delay MWA.

As for are they supposed to help, well, no is the answer to that. It's not their job to help. They shouldn't put you down, they shouldn't be changing their minds each appointment (he should at least state why if so), but you need to help yourself.

Your advisor probably doesn't really understand your anxiety. He may accept it to a point as a reason, but he may well see it as an excuse or not fully understand why that's a reason for not doing MWA.

Only you can help yourself. That's with regards to anxiety and volunteering.

So get in touch with the organisation again. Maybe push them a little. Check out the site I linked to before. Search through everything, there are all types of things!

Volunteering could really help with you with your anxiety and it may even lead to a job.

I used that site and found a surprising volunteer position. Actually ended up doing something slightly different to what I applied for via the site, but perfectly suited for me as it's IT. It doesn't have much social interaction. I started off by going to the place, but I can do part from home so looks good on my CV and no dealing with anyone. I then have the option of whether to go to the place to help out with other things and it's up to me how long I wish to stay. Everyone at the place is really friendly and understanding. Actually a previous volunteer place was much the same, except usually a few more people around (fairly small office though) and no work from home option.

Now I can't promise you'll find something just like that, but there certainly are opportunities out there and the organisations are usually really grateful for your help even if it's only a few hours a week. They don't come to you though, you have to find them.

I know you said you've tried CBT but perhaps you could give it another go? Small steps at a time.

I don't think you've mentioned medication, maybe that's an option? I'd also suggest checking out Bach products as they're a natural way of dealing with anxiety and may help you out.

Andrea2528

FBaby wrote: »

I expect the issue is that he expected you to do a bit more during 2 weeks than just call the organisation and then just wait for them to call you back. I would think that he was happy for you to do voluntary work instead of MWA, but if you are not going to make a genuine effort towards finding voluntary work, then he is not going to be so accommodating.

I'm not really sure about that because his attitude always seems to be negative and I've heard other people say the same thing. However, it took a lot for me to actually ring the voluntary organisation but I did it and was glad that I did. They said that it was their place to look for something suitable. I said that I would also look around for something suitable as well, which I've been doing online.

Andrea2528

Flyonthewall wrote: »

FBaby could well be right. You need to be doing more yourself rather than waiting for the organisation.

MWA would probably be too many hours for you then to volunteer on top so he probably has assumed that you're not actually bothering to find volunteer work and it's just a way to delay MWA.

As for are they supposed to help, well, no is the answer to that. It's not their job to help. They shouldn't put you down, they shouldn't be changing their minds each appointment (he should at least state why if so), but you need to help yourself.

Your advisor probably doesn't really understand your anxiety. He may accept it to a point as a reason, but he may well see it as an excuse or not fully understand why that's a reason for not doing MWA.

Only you can help yourself. That's with regards to anxiety and volunteering.

So get in touch with the organisation again. Maybe push them a little. Check out the site I linked to before. Search through everything, there are all types of things!

Volunteering could really help with you with your anxiety and it may even lead to a job.

I used that site and found a surprising volunteer position. Actually ended up doing something slightly different to what I applied for via the site, but perfectly suited for me as it's IT. It doesn't have much social interaction. I started off by going to the place, but I can do part from home so looks good on my CV and no dealing with anyone. I then have the option of whether to go to the place to help out with other things and it's up to me how long I wish to stay. Everyone at the place is really friendly and understanding. Actually a previous volunteer place was much the same, except usually a few more people around (fairly small office though) and no work from home option.

Now I can't promise you'll find something just like that, but there certainly are opportunities out there and the organisations are usually really grateful for your help even if it's only a few hours a week. They don't come to you though, you have to find them.

I know you said you've tried CBT but perhaps you could give it another go? Small steps at a time.

I don't think you've mentioned medication, maybe that's an option? I'd also suggest checking out Bach products as they're a natural way of dealing with anxiety and may help you out.

I think the voluntary organisation have found something that involves working at their office a few hours per week, so I've got that opportunity. They also say that whilst I'm there, they will not put pressure on me to do anything I don't feel up to doing.

I'm not trying to make an excuse, as I explained to the advisor. I told him that social anxiety has always been the reason why I'm out of work.

I'm hoping that doing voluntary work will help me because I'm trying to get back out there but it's really difficult. I was on medication for years and it didn't have a lot of effect, so I stopped taking them because I don't really want to have to rely on that.
It sounds like voluntary work has really helped you.

sangie595

Andrea2528 wrote: »

I was on ESA but they refused it after the interview with ATOS. I am now on Job Seekers Allowance.

I am afraid that that is a game changer. Your previous posts gave the impression that you are on ESA. Regardless of personal opinions as to what is "right", you are claiming JSA, and the conditions for getting that money require you to comply with things like mandatory work experience and with job seeking on a full time basis - and job seeking for any job. You cannot restrict your availability for work and you cannot insist on getting home based work. If you cannot show your compliance with the requirements you will be sanctioned. Your personal advisor is responsible for one thing and one thing only - getting you into employment. Any employment. It is not about whether they are nice or not - it is the job they are expected to do. They have no ability to be "nice" because of your condition - your condition is irrelevant on JSA.

If you continue to say that you are unable to work, then they will not leave you alone - they will refuse you JSA. And unless or until you are able to convince the system that you qualify for ESA again, you will be without any money at all. I am afraid that until that time you don't get to pick anything - not volunteering, not the hours and not whether or not you have a mandatory work placement. So I think you have some hard decisions to make.

Perhaps someone on the benefits board can help you with this, but what nobody can do is tell you how to get JSA without complying with their requirements. That is never going to be an option, and they will not think twice about sanctioning you if you don't comply.

Andrea2528

sangie595 wrote: »

I am afraid that that is a game changer. Your previous posts gave the impression that you are on ESA. Regardless of personal opinions as to what is "right", you are claiming JSA, and the conditions for getting that money require you to comply with things like mandatory work experience and with job seeking on a full time basis - and job seeking for any job. You cannot restrict your availability for work and you cannot insist on getting home based work. If you cannot show your compliance with the requirements you will be sanctioned. Your personal advisor is responsible for one thing and one thing only - getting you into employment. Any employment. It is not about whether they are nice or not - it is the job they are expected to do. They have no ability to be "nice" because of your condition - your condition is irrelevant on JSA.

If you continue to say that you are unable to work, then they will not leave you alone - they will refuse you JSA. And unless or until you are able to convince the system that you qualify for ESA again, you will be without any money at all. I am afraid that until that time you don't get to pick anything - not volunteering, not the hours and not whether or not you have a mandatory work placement. So I think you have some hard decisions to make.

Perhaps someone on the benefits board can help you with this, but what nobody can do is tell you how to get JSA without complying with their requirements. That is never going to be an option, and they will not think twice about sanctioning you if you don't comply.

I've complied with everything they tell me to do and I haven't made them find work from home. I asked him if doing voluntary work was the same type of thing as MWA and he stated that it was. When I told him that I would prefer to do voluntary work because I would be able to cope with it better he seemed to accept that. Then, the next time I saw him, it's as though we had never had the previous conversation even though I was trying to find a suitable place.

Andrea2528

sangie595 wrote: »

I am afraid that that is a game changer. Your previous posts gave the impression that you are on ESA. Regardless of personal opinions as to what is "right", you are claiming JSA, and the conditions for getting that money require you to comply with things like mandatory work experience and with job seeking on a full time basis - and job seeking for any job. You cannot restrict your availability for work and you cannot insist on getting home based work. If you cannot show your compliance with the requirements you will be sanctioned. Your personal advisor is responsible for one thing and one thing only - getting you into employment. Any employment. It is not about whether they are nice or not - it is the job they are expected to do. They have no ability to be "nice" because of your condition - your condition is irrelevant on JSA.

If you continue to say that you are unable to work, then they will not leave you alone - they will refuse you JSA. And unless or until you are able to convince the system that you qualify for ESA again, you will be without any money at all. I am afraid that until that time you don't get to pick anything - not volunteering, not the hours and not whether or not you have a mandatory work placement. So I think you have some hard decisions to make.

Perhaps someone on the benefits board can help you with this, but what nobody can do is tell you how to get JSA without complying with their requirements. That is never going to be an option, and they will not think twice about sanctioning you if you don't comply.

I've complied with everything they tell me to do and I haven't made them find work from home. I asked him if doing voluntary work was the same type of thing as MWA and he stated that it was. When I told him that I would prefer to do voluntary work because I would be able to cope with it better he seemed to accept that. The next time I saw him, it's as though we had never had the previous conversation even though I was trying to find a suitable place.