Mandatory Work Activity Placement

Hi thanks for the advice guys I went to my induction today with the A4e company who set up placement. There was about 10 in the class and a few others had been given placements already as well and weren't happy. The woman in charge say if we had an issue to speak to her at the end and try and sort it out. I spoke to her at the end and she said even though yes it is a long way to go 3 hours a day to travel but its part of the agreement at their isn't many places due to only being charity work now as the companies like poundland, tesco etc aren't allowed to do the placements as they should be paying people to do the job not free labour.

Anyway the woman was nice and said I would be doing mostly customer service and talking to the customers whilst the firemen fitted equipment. However I asked about barnardos as they are upset they are going to lose me for a month when they desperately need me. She said do you volunteer and I told her yes twice a week since christmas. She said does the job centre know? I replied yes and I had to fill in a form saying I was volunteering. The woman said you shouldn't have been sent here if you volunteer the whole reason behind the scheme is to give you work experience and a reference at the end of it. I have both due to volunteering (of my own back may I add, I spent ages asking the job centre to help me find a voluntary place and they didn't want to know so got off my !!!! and asked myself.)

Anyway the short of it all is that the woman rang my job centre they said they didn't know I volunteered (i've told them a million times and had issues with them about it as they try and make sign on during my work time and i've also completed the offical written paper) anyway i've been referred back to the job centre and dont have to do the placement.

Am very relieved but this has given me a big push that I desperately want a job and anywhere will do. I've just applied for loads of christmas jobs coming up early so hoping something good comes of that.

I also am going to volunteer at a local salon now am off for summer holidays. I already do freelance work for free for my profilo and have a blog which does tutorials and reviews. All done in my spare time as well as going to college, dealing with job centre and volunteering. I have the experience just need the experience in the job world now but i've so put off as had telephone interviews and all say not had enough sales experience but how do you get that if no one will give you a chance.

Thanks for all your advice and this has really given me a kick up the bum to do something and stop procrastinating. The time I spend volunteering and signing on attending bloody advisor meetings and looking for jobs I could be working and earning a wage.