I have started volunteering, but still can't get damn job!

controversy

Hedylogos wrote: »

Hi. So i was able to apply for the volunteering role at a local library and i started there last Thursday and Yesterday, only two days a week. I will admit that i procrastinated on visiting the library to ask because i just kept having self doubt, but i figured i need to pull myself out the negativity. I want to get on with my life and feel like i have left it so long because i have had this self doubt.

I am still annoyed at myself for letting my mental state take over. However, it's a nice library, very quiet the days i am there and the members of staff are friendly, which i am thankful for as the last type of people i need to work with are judgmental types. One of the woman there baked a cake and brought it in for lunch haha, so that was pretty cool of her and it was nice.

Anyway, now i am volunteering at the library i did mention when i had an "interview" there how i was looking for work, so if i found work i may have to cut the hours or maybe switch to one day at the weekend or in the week, depending on what kind of work i found. I wanted to be honest as no point acting like i am not looking for work while i volunteer.

I am just struggling still to find work though. It is really frustrating and i am short on money. I reapplied to job seekers, but probably won't receive the money yet. I find now i have some motivation back i am in a bit of a groove and i'm confident things will improve. I just want to find a paid job so i can get back on the road to some kind of normality again after all these years. I wish i could rewind time and pick myself out there mess, but unfortunately mental health is kind of unforgiving and doesn't discriminate.

I don't know what other routes i can go down to find work. It is difficult at the moment, but i so badly want to get back into work and meet people. I have almost no friends and it's tough because i do want to meet people so badly and form a healthy social life, and getting back into employment would for sure allow me to do this. By the way, i did try some suggestions here to no avail, applied for many different jobs but no responses as of yet. I appreciate all the advice i have received as it's meant a lot, and really people were right because to pull myself out of the mess really did just take a tiny bit of courage on my part. It was difficult to take the first step, but i am glad i have managed to push forward a little bit, even if it's only a baby step :beer:

If you have bad mental health problems you should really try and apply for ESA Work Related Activity Group. I know it sounds like taking a step down to a even worse scrounger rank but in your case you may just need that extra support. It comes with a couple of perks though. It will allow you to get Tax Credits on 16 hours of work.

16 hours min wage + Tax Credits for ESA WRAG is about £10789
16 hours min wage + Universal Credit is about £11583

Find out yourself by visiting these links:
https://www.gov.uk/tax-credits-calculator
http://universal-benefit-calculator.co.uk/universalcredit
http://www.entitledto.co.uk/

Now if you aren't being successful in 1 area your best to move to another area. A little tip for you. Do not move to cities. They have the highest people to job ratio. You want to move to places where opportunities present themselves. Basically move to areas which have a labor shortage.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/jobs/11724149/Shortage-of-skilled-workers-drags-down-UK-jobs-market-driving-up-pay-inflation.html

Look at the article above.

What you should do is prepare A CV for each kind of job role you intend to apply for. Could be Construction, Catering or Caring.
Then attach a covering letter saying you would really like to work in a apprentice position and work for 50+ hours @ £3.30 a hour (apprentice wage).

Then you will write that you will move to the area, get accommodation and your try your best to be a good worker etc.

You need to make the covering letter generic so you can do a mail merge and send a letter to every business in a selected area.

Mail Merge is basically taking 1 letter and sending it to 1000+ people with a touch of a button. There are videos for you to learn how to do it on YouTube.

So you get these address from Yell.com. Send a letter to every Resturant, Construction business and Care home. Best to do it by email then no paper involved.

Hope that helps.

LeeMc_2

You said you're working at the library 2 days a week. What about branching out and volunteering somewhere entirely different for another 2 or 3 days a week.

Sncjw

Give it time . You need to build your skills which you will acquire when volunteering . These skills can be good as they could be transferable skills to put on applications like communication with people from different backgrounds. Problems solving and the like

Sncjw

It's the holiday season so many places could be closed or recruitment staff being
Off

pathtofreedom

https://www.vision2learn.com/ have courses that might help you. It might be worth checking with the local colleges if they can also help on courses for your gcse's. Good luck, keep going to the library, they might have other resources that can help you and it will get your confidence back working with the people there so interviews etc won't seem as daunting.

pathtofreedom

Also http://www.learndirect.com/help/about-learndirect/our-products-and-services/qualifications/maths-and-english-courses/ might be able to help.

pupgrum

What are you volunteering to do at this library? There's a difference between volunteering to do a skilled job, and volunteering to just clean and stack shelves. While volunteering does help improve your CV you can't expect some sort of miracle. You're still going to be competing against applicants who have paid employment history or done impressive voluntary work.

I would continue racking up qualifications in the meantime.

slink85

Tophill wrote: »

Good for you volunteering and good for you staying positive. It takes a minimum of 3 months to get a job even when you are fully focused. Also in terms of recent work experience such as your volunteering employers are looking for a track record of around 6 months, which shows you are reliable and committed. This is particularly true if you have been out of work for a while. Have you checked locally for employability services particularly those geared towards people with mental health issues. Depending on the area you live in, there may be support from your Council or charity sector to help you back into work. A quick google search should find the, Good luck.

what an odd post, with even odder things said

sounds like some sort of waffle someone on these pointless employability courses would say, you don't happen to run one do you?

xapprenticex

Hedylogos wrote: »

Hi. So i was able to apply for the volunteering role at a local library and i started there last Thursday and Yesterday, only two days a week. I will admit that i procrastinated on visiting the library to ask because i just kept having self doubt, but i figured i need to pull myself out the negativity. I want to get on with my life and feel like i have left it so long because i have had this self doubt.

I am still annoyed at myself for letting my mental state take over. However, it's a nice library, very quiet the days i am there and the members of staff are friendly, which i am thankful for as the last type of people i need to work with are judgmental types. One of the woman there baked a cake and brought it in for lunch haha, so that was pretty cool of her and it was nice.

Anyway, now i am volunteering at the library i did mention when i had an "interview" there how i was looking for work, so if i found work i may have to cut the hours or maybe switch to one day at the weekend or in the week, depending on what kind of work i found. I wanted to be honest as no point acting like i am not looking for work while i volunteer.

I am just struggling still to find work though. It is really frustrating and i am short on money. I reapplied to job seekers, but probably won't receive the money yet. I find now i have some motivation back i am in a bit of a groove and i'm confident things will improve. I just want to find a paid job so i can get back on the road to some kind of normality again after all these years. I wish i could rewind time and pick myself out there mess, but unfortunately mental health is kind of unforgiving and doesn't discriminate.

I don't know what other routes i can go down to find work. It is difficult at the moment, but i so badly want to get back into work and meet people. I have almost no friends and it's tough because i do want to meet people so badly and form a healthy social life, and getting back into employment would for sure allow me to do this. By the way, i did try some suggestions here to no avail, applied for many different jobs but no responses as of yet. I appreciate all the advice i have received as it's meant a lot, and really people were right because to pull myself out of the mess really did just take a tiny bit of courage on my part. It was difficult to take the first step, but i am glad i have managed to push forward a little bit, even if it's only a baby step :beer:

Your posts make me chuckle (In a good way :money:), give it time lol, youll get there.

topaztiger1983

Took me at least 4 months of volunteering before co got my job