Advice needed regarding Mandatory work experience

fluffypaws

Andrea2528 wrote: »

I've tried various psychologists on the NHS and they don't seem to understand how the problem affects me. Every one that I saw, weren't that knowledgeable about how social anxiety affects someone. It is a different to general anxiety.

I can understand how a Mandatory work activity direction could make your condition worse. A voluntary placement sounds like something you could control, and take smaller steps towards - which could work more around your health and goals. MWA means if you fail to attend- or lack job search during placement - it can result in a sanction, considering you have claimed ESA in the past - you should be considered a more vulnerable JSA customer, your advisor should understand this - and offer you a less robust approach.

I'm sorry to hear you are no longer claiming ESA, it sounds like that would be a more appropriate benefit to be on. JSA advisors have unofficial targets to sanction.. Your advisor should reconsider the MWA, have you thought about changing advisor? , asking to see the floor manager for example?

Andrea2528

fluffypaws wrote: »

I can understand how a Mandatory work activity direction could make your condition worse. A voluntary placement sounds like something you could control, and take smaller steps towards - which could work more around your health and goals. MWA means if you fail to attend- or lack job search during placement - it can result in a sanction, considering you have claimed ESA in the past - you should be considered a more vulnerable JSA customer, your advisor should understand this - and offer you a less robust approach.

I'm sorry to hear you are no longer claiming ESA, it sounds like that would be a more appropriate benefit to be on. JSA advisors have unofficial targets to sanction.. Your advisor should reconsider the MWA, have you thought about changing advisor? , asking to see the floor manager for example?

Even a voluntary position is making me anxious but I know that it has got to be the easiest way for me to go out there. The thought of attending the MWA is really getting me down. I agree with you that the personal advisor should take my situation into consideration, especially since he knows why I was on ESA. I'm wondering if it's possible to change to a different advisor? I'm a little worried about asking but it might get too much and I'll have to do something about it.

fluffypaws

i'm sure if you phone or write a letter to your job center, and explain that you need to change advisor as you believe your advisor - is not successfully helping you to move into employment, as they do not have enough knowledge about how your condition effects you. Ask that you would like to make an appointment with the floor manager.

You have every right to complain about an advisor, particularly , as it sounds here, they have made you feel a little bit intimidated. Maybe try to keep a diary after every appointment so you have a clear reference to what was said and how you felt.

if you go for volunteering, maybe try to keep your hours low and try with a smaller environment. If you don't feel up to it right now, just make suggestions that you are looking and doing job search, make sure you keep up with everything written in job seeker agreement, then they have no reason to sanction. If your condition worsens please try to see the GP if you can.

Flyonthewall

Andrea2528 wrote: »

Even a voluntary position is making me anxious but I know that it has got to be the easiest way for me to go out there. The thought of attending the MWA is really getting me down. I agree with you that the personal advisor should take my situation into consideration, especially since he knows why I was on ESA. I'm wondering if it's possible to change to a different advisor? I'm a little worried about asking but it might get too much and I'll have to do something about it.

The thing you have to question is what is there to be anxious about. The answer is nothing.

Course, it's not so simple as that. However, if you can just force yourself to take that first step and do something you'll soon see that it's true. Then it's just about reminding yourself of that.

Your advisor should take that into consideration, but you're not on ESA now and that's because, as far as he's concerned, you don't need to be and therefore he's treating you pretty much like he would anyone else.

You can ask to change advisors. I think you'd maybe have to talk to a manager about changing advisors.

Andrea2528

fluffypaws wrote: »

i'm sure if you phone or write a letter to your job center, and explain that you need to change advisor as you believe your advisor - is not successfully helping you to move into employment, as they do not have enough knowledge about how your condition effects you. Ask that you would like to make an appointment with the floor manager.

You have every right to complain about an advisor, particularly , as it sounds here, they have made you feel a little bit intimidated. Maybe try to keep a diary after every appointment so you have a clear reference to what was said and how you felt.

if you go for volunteering, maybe try to keep your hours low and try with a smaller environment. If you don't feel up to it right now, just make suggestions that you are looking and doing job search, make sure you keep up with everything written in job seeker agreement, then they have no reason to sanction. If your condition worsens please try to see the GP if you can.

The placement that I've got is in a small office but I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it but I think I'd prefer to do that than go on the MWA. The way I used to deal with social anxiety in the workplace was through always changing employment but I realised that I couldn't keep on doing that. I didn't realise then that I had social anxiety.

Andrea2528

Flyonthewall wrote: »

The thing you have to question is what is there to be anxious about. The answer is nothing.

Course, it's not so simple as that. However, if you can just force yourself to take that first step and do something you'll soon see that it's true. Then it's just about reminding yourself of that.

Your advisor should take that into consideration, but you're not on ESA now and that's because, as far as he's concerned, you don't need to be and therefore he's treating you pretty much like he would anyone else.

You can ask to change advisors. I think you'd maybe have to talk to a manager about changing advisors.

I've told the advisor that I realise I need to do something to get me out of this situation but I also explained what I believed would be the best way to do that. When I mentioned voluntary work to him, he stated that I could do that on top of my MWA. I think that is too much really.

fluffypaws

Andrea2528 wrote: »

The placement that I've got is in a small office but I'm not sure I'll be able to handle it but I think I'd prefer to do that than go on the MWA. The way I used to deal with social anxiety in the workplace was through always changing employment but I realised that I couldn't keep on doing that. I didn't realise then that I had social anxiety.

the provider can get a payment if you look at page 60, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/420990/mandatory-work-activity-april-15.pdf

Doing MWA and voluntary work at the same is a lot to commit to- and would challenge anybody regardless of health. If it was me i would, try to reason with the advisor, reminding him that you are new to JSA from ESA- and that this robust approach is not helping you move into employment. if he is still unreasonable i would make a formal complaint and change adviser.

Andrea2528

fluffypaws wrote: »

the provider can get a payment if you look at page 60, https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/420990/mandatory-work-activity-april-15.pdf

Doing MWA and voluntary work at the same is a lot to commit to- and would challenge anybody regardless of health. If it was me i would, try to reason with the advisor, reminding him that you are new to JSA from ESA- and that this robust approach is not helping you move into employment. if he is still unreasonable i would make a formal complaint and change adviser.

Thing is, I'm overwhelmed about doing anything at the moment and mandatory work activity is a big leap, I think.

tomtontom

Andrea2528 wrote: »

I've tried various psychologists on the NHS and they don't seem to understand how the problem affects me. Every one that I saw, weren't that knowledgeable about how social anxiety affects someone. It is a different to general anxiety.

A psychologist is more than aware of how social anxiety can affect someone. The coping methods for anxieties are largely the same whatever the context. For any coping mechanisms to work you need to be committed to change and not dismissive. You also need to stop putting imaginary barriers in the way.

If you go to this work placement, what is the worst that can happen?

Andrea2528

tomtontom wrote: »

A psychologist is more than aware of how social anxiety can affect someone. The coping methods for anxieties are largely the same whatever the context. For any coping mechanisms to work you need to be committed to change and not dismissive. You also need to stop putting imaginary barriers in the way.

If you go to this work placement, what is the worst that can happen?

The problem I have is not knowing what to say to people after the initial meeting. I'm allright with meeting people the first time but after that, I get really anxious and don't know what to say to them. I think that is a part of social anxiety or AvPD (which is related). I am unable to join in with small talk. My mind goes blank and I don't know what to say. I really find that hard to deal with, especially when you have to be in the same place for a long time and see the same people all the time. I'm allright with the intial part of meeting people, so social anxiety isn't really the same thing as being shy.