Advice needed regarding Mandatory work experience

fluffypaws

Flyonthewall wrote: »

They're not doing enough by the advisors expectations. The Job Centre don't care about the individual. Regardless of the anxiety that is a fact and so the only way around it is to do more. For the OP it may be very hard to do so but it doesn't change the fact of that is what they need to do.

They're not trying to cure the OP, their suggesting ways in which the OP may get help for the anxiety which in turn will help with work. There's no harm in making sure the OP has done all they can when they clearly want to try and get somewhere and the anxiety is holding them back. That's far better than people saying "just get over it" or something along them lines, they're advising professional help.

It's probably making them feel worse because it's not the answer the want to hear. They want to be told the advisor is completely in the wrong, that they can get out of MWA and get a volunteer position in their own time. However, it doesn't work that way. No one on here can change that.

job center advisers can incorrectly push there demands onto more vulnerable claimants, avoiding confrontation with more challenging customers, - as with the case here. If there are heath conditions this must be considered and a less robust approach should be taken. A volunteer position sounds like the best step - and the advisor agreed with this, but it seems the advisers sudden demands have made OP health worsen as she is worrying a lot about the MWA - which is stressful for anyone to cope with, as the compliance level is very high , OP was recently claiming ESA and this should be considered- I'm sure if OP talked with the Job Center Manager, her concerns would be listened to- and her agreement re-drafted to suit her current abilities.

Flyonthewall

fluffypaws wrote: »

job center advisers can incorrectly push there demands onto more vulnerable claimants, avoiding confrontation with more challenging customers, - as with the case here. If there are heath conditions this must be considered and a less robust approach should be taken. A volunteer position sounds like the best step - and the advisor agreed with this, but it seems the advisers sudden demands have made OP health worsen as she is worrying a lot about the MWA - which is stressful for anyone to cope with, as the compliance level is very high , OP was recently claiming ESA and this should be considered- I'm sure if OP talked with the Job Center Manager, her concerns would be listened to- and her agreement re-drafted to suit her current abilities.

It doesn't work like that though, that's the problem. Once on JSA you are treated like everyone else and the advisors are constantly pressured.

They're no longer on ESA so far as the Job Centre is concerned they're fine to work and so should be doing the same as everyone else. Wrong? Yes. But that's how they see it.

A Job Cente manager may listen and make sure the OP gets more time to find volunteer work. However, they may not. They too are under pressure and it wouldn't surprise me if they said it's up to the advisor how long they give or that they have given them a chance to find volunteer work but the MWA is mandatory for everyone, OP included.

OP may also be able to change advisors, but other advisors will still be under pressure and push for the MWA soon enough.

The Job Centre isn't there to help. It's not their to listen to health problems. It's there to make sure people are job searching and sadly it also includes getting people on the MWA and Work Programmes so it appears as though they're doing something. The Job Centre is not going to change. The advisors are not going to change.

It's rubbish and doesn't suit the OP, but the OP needs to work out what they're going to do to deal with it.

I've given advice/suggestions on how to do so. Like they should have no problems in looking at the link I sent and applying for volunteer positions online and that alone should be a big help in not only getting a volunteer position but proving to the advisor they're doing something. Have they done that though?

geoffken

It appears that you are well enough to do matched betting etc. but have been supported by us since about 2006 or thereabouts.
How about REALLY trying to get yourself OUT of your self imposed hole.
Nobody in the world except you cares about how you feel so ONLY you can fix it or else you WILL be sanctioned and if you think 2 or 3 hours a week entitles you to full money that is another fantasy you have.
I wish you luck but YOU have to put the work in.

fluffypaws

Flyonthewall wrote: »

It doesn't work like that though, that's the problem. Once on JSA you are treated like everyone else and the advisors are constantly pressured.

They're no longer on ESA so far as the Job Centre is concerned they're fine to work and so should be doing the same as everyone else. Wrong? Yes. But that's how they see it.

A Job Cente manager may listen and make sure the OP gets more time to find volunteer work. However, they may not. They too are under pressure and it wouldn't surprise me if they said it's up to the advisor how long they give or that they have given them a chance to find volunteer work but the MWA is mandatory for everyone, OP included.

OP may also be able to change advisors, but other advisors will still be under pressure and push for the MWA soon enough.

The Job Centre isn't there to help. It's not their to listen to health problems. It's there to make sure people are job searching and sadly it also includes getting people on the MWA and Work Programmes so it appears as though they're doing something. The Job Centre is not going to change. The advisors are not going to change.

It's rubbish and doesn't suit the OP, but the OP needs to work out what they're going to do to deal with it.

I've given advice/suggestions on how to do so. Like they should have no problems in looking at the link I sent and applying for volunteer positions online and that alone should be a big help in not only getting a volunteer position but proving to the advisor they're doing something. Have they done that though?

OP has said she has found a volunteer position already in a small office - she has already told him this - but he wants her to do both MWA and the volunteer job together - which is very high commitment. The job center staff should tailor the agreement and actions depending on the person. I have a friend who had her agreement greatly reduced in job search hours after she explained about her recent antidepressant medication. All the advisors work differently and have different attitudes and understanding towards different people - she could change advisor- maybe this could help. A lot of JSA sanctions get overturned after appeals - making them unlawful- meaning there are a lot of advisors who are unfairly treating certain JSA customers.

Flyonthewall

geoffken wrote: »

It appears that you are well enough to do matched betting etc. but have been supported by us since about 2006 or thereabouts.
How about REALLY trying to get yourself OUT of your self imposed hole.
Nobody in the world except you cares about how you feel so ONLY you can fix it or else you WILL be sanctioned and if you think 2 or 3 hours a week entitles you to full money that is another fantasy you have.
I wish you luck but YOU have to put the work in.

2 or 3 hours volunteering a week is perfectly acceptable and volunteering changes nothing with regards to entitlement. They're entitled because they're job searching, hence Job Seekers Allowance.

Your post is quite harsh, but I agree that only they can change things.

Flyonthewall

fluffypaws wrote: »

OP has said she has found a volunteer position already in a small office - she has already told him this - but he wants her to do both MWA and the volunteer job together - which is very high commitment.

They said they've been told the place has found them somewhere. However, no mention of actually doing anything regarding that. No interview, no start date. Nothing.

Great they found something, but they need to actually do something regarding that and make something happen otherwise they will be put on MWA because they're not actually volunteering and there's no sign of them being about to change that.

I already said a couple of times that MWA and volunteering would be too much.

The job center staff should tailor the agreement and actions depending on the person. I have a friend who had her agreement greatly reduced in job search hours after she explained about her recent antidepressant medication. All the advisors work differently and have different attitudes and understanding towards different people - she could change advisor- maybe this could help. A lot of JSA sanctions get overturned after appeals - making them unlawful- meaning there are a lot of advisors who are unfairly treating certain JSA customers.

To a point they do. Agreed. OP needs to do something though to get a different advisor, which they have/had the chance of doing today.

Yeah, I'm sure I mentioned before about appeals. If it comes to the worst case scenerio they could appeal a sanction and hopefully it would get overturned. Sadly many advisors do sanction for unfair reasons and I've said that many times on this forum. Experienced it myself. Right now the OP isn't facing sanction though and if they did go on MWA and leave within the first week I don't think they'd be sanctioned, but that doesn't mean it'll all be fine after that. There will be job fairs, work programmes, MWA may well come up again.

Tygermoth

Hey Andrea,


How did it go today?

Andrea2528

fluffypaws wrote: »

i don't blame you for feeling worse - many replies imply that you are not doing enough and people are suggesting things to cure your condition, but they don't know you and are not psychologists, so this pull yourself together advice is clearly counter productive. You clearly have been treated unfairly by your advisor and being blamed and bullied for 'not doing enough' even though with your condition you are trying your best already. I hope the advisor is ok today and that you in hope - you can recover some confidence soon. Maybe if you can talk to your GP again and/or make an appointment with the citizens advice beuro - as things here are not helping too much.

I've been to see the advisor and I was really anxious about it. I told him that I'd found a placement before he had the opportunity of bringing up the MWA. He wasn't that helpful really but I think he isn't putting me on the MWA as yet. I've told him that I would prefer to try out some volunteering for a while. He said that I might still have to go on the MWA eventually.

I felt very depressed today and I realised that reading all the replies was probably adding to that. I shouldn't have asked in the first place. Anyway, thank you for showing some intelligence in your replies. At least, there have been some nice replies today.

Andrea2528

Flyonthewall wrote: »

2 or 3 hours volunteering a week is perfectly acceptable and volunteering changes nothing with regards to entitlement. They're entitled because they're job searching, hence Job Seekers Allowance.

Your post is quite harsh, but I agree that only they can change things.

After the job centre visit, I went to the place that I'm supposed to be volunteering at and it's really small. The person I was supposed to see regarding the position wasn't available. I spoke to the other person and I'm afraid I wasn't that impressed with the place. I'm hoping that if I go there, I will be able to find something else to go to that is more suitable. It's a bit of way to travel as well and I'm not sure they'll pay travel expenses. But I had to have something to tell the advisor, so should I stick to this placement or look for something else?

I've noticed online that there is volunteering that you can do from home. I wonder if the Job Centre would regard that as being suitable volunteering or would they expect me to go out of the home? I suppose I'll have to try and find out.

Andrea2528

Tygermoth wrote: »

Hey Andrea,


How did it go today?

I've been there and told him anyway. I was relly anxious about because I was supposed to go to the volunteer place after that. Anyway, I went there and I don't think the placement will suit me, but I suppose I'll have to go there now after organisating it. I think I'm going to try and find something else though more suitable. I really want to get out of this situation.