work programme after 2 years

[cubertf]

my interview/interrogation is in less than 2 or 3 hours time.:

 

well that was all very interesting....

 

the session lasted 50 minutes. I was initially given a copy of the exit review to read and keep.

 

the DWP interviewer was amazed at the contents.... in the actions agreed, it stated "continue to overcome health barriers, continue with job search"

the further information field was blank.

in the next steps field - "continue with job search, and overcoming health problems"

 

Form complete!!!!!

 

to add insult to injury, the advisor named was one that left 4 advisors ago, but their computer system still had a note to see her from 20 months ago, which could not be removed, as she had been deleted from the system. as such we do not know who filled in the form.

 

the DWP interviewer was interested in the exit session, consisting of between 20 to 25 of us, with them trying to sign us all up for a council run course. the DWP advisor said it should have been a 1 to 1... he was interested when I said our joint exit review was putting our name, email address and telephone number on piece of paper, and they had cancelled my scheduled appointment with my new advisor 3 days prior to the mass exit review.

 

I am now seeing 1 of 2 DWP advisors every 2 weeks, on my normal signing in day, but the time is variable - my old time was late afternoon, so I don't mind.

 

I have to search the universal jobs match 3 times a week, search 3 agency sites once a week, and do one other thing to reach my goal of 7 job search actions per week, and apply for 2 jobs per week. I currently do around 58 actions per week, as I am registered with 7 agencies and the universal jobs match to receive daily job vacancy emails.

 

so! for anyone going on a post work programme support session, go prepared, with a copy of your cv's and a list of what actions you take every week to find work.

[LongHairedLily]

well that was all very interesting....

 

the session lasted 50 minutes. I was initially given a copy of the exit review to read and keep.

 

the DWP interviewer was amazed at the contents.... in the actions agreed, it stated "continue to overcome health barriers, continue with job search"

the further information field was blank.

in the next steps field - "continue with job search, and overcoming health problems"

 

Form complete!!!!!

 

to add insult to injury, the advisor named was one that left 4 advisors ago, but their computer system still had a note to see her from 20 months ago, which could not be removed, as she had been deleted from the system. as such we do not know who filled in the form.

 

the DWP interviewer was interested in the exit session, consisting of between 20 to 25 of us, with them trying to sign us all up for a council run course. the DWP advisor said it should have been a 1 to 1... he was interested when I said our joint exit review was putting our name, email address and telephone number on piece of paper, and they had cancelled my scheduled appointment with my new advisor 3 days prior to the mass exit review.

 

I am now seeing 1 of 2 DWP advisors every 2 weeks, on my normal signing in day, but the time is variable - my old time was late afternoon, so I don't mind.

 

I have to search the universal jobs match 3 times a week, search 3 agency sites once a week, and do one other thing to reach my goal of 7 job search actions per week, and apply for 2 jobs per week. I currently do around 58 actions per week, as I am registered with 7 agencies and the universal jobs match to receive daily job vacancy emails.

 

so! for anyone going on a post work programme support session, go prepared, with a copy of your cv's and a list of what actions you take every week to find work.

 

 

Thanks Cubert. At the moment I look on 8 sites per day including UJM, apply for 20-30 jobs per week., I am also completing a Sage 50 course and just got the paperwork to start an NVQ2 Business and Admin course online.

[cubertf]

courses can be a good thing, and prove to a prospective employer that you are not in a rut.

 

I have a 1994 BTEC HNC in Business & Finance , which is the equivalent to a NVQ5, so most courses won't let me join, as they will not get funding.

 

I have previously tried to get on a ECDL computer course, but my former WP provider would not pay, as they would lose money. they put me on a course to get 2 halves of an NVQ1 in health & safety at work, and something else.

[cubertf]

having read a leaflet the DWP gave me, the post WP stuff lasts for 6 months, which will be a nice holiday, as I have been on them 4 years!

[LongHairedLily]

I think the post WP experience is down to pot luck. Luckily you got an ok advisor.

[Mr.P]

courses can be a good thing, and prove to a prospective employer that you are not in a rut.

 

I have previously tried to get on a ECDL computer course, but my former WP provider would not pay, as they would lose money.

 

Some courses are worth doing if they are relevant and genuinely improve your prospects of employment. I found a local (free) ECDL course and scored some 70% on the assessment, but quickly found that it was the most basic of introductions to using Microsoft Office - A waste of my time.

 

Also did a three day HSE First Aid at Work course that I found and paid for - Whilst it didn't get me a job, it has proved worthwhile in town on a couple of occasions and I'm now an official firstaider at work so will get my retests paid for.

[LongHairedLily]

Just a quick heads up-found this alert ref UJM job postings by companies may not be all they appear to be!

 

http://unemploymentmovement.com/forum/technology-and-the-internet/6391-warning-using-governments-job-site

[cubertf]

and proving you cannot teach your grandmother to suck eggs....

 

in other words, I am doing way over and above what they want, so they can leave me alone, and sort out those who don't.. if they do start, then I can drop my job hunting down over 90% and still be within the limits.

[LongHairedLily]

and proving you cannot teach your grandmother to suck eggs....

 

in other words, I am doing way over and above what they want, so they can leave me alone, and sort out those who don't.. if they do start, then I can drop my job hunting down over 90% and still be within the limits.

I've been doing way over the odds for a while and I seem to be targeted by this chap advisor..

[cubertf]

I've been doing way over the odds for a while and I seem to be targeted by this chap advisor..

 

discounting the Work programme external sources, as far as the DWP are concerned, they cannot force you to do more than your job centre agreement ( ES3JP ), which you and a member of staff signed. If they do want you to do more, then they have to issue you with a new jobseekers agreement, which you can appeal against. I did appeal once, when they made a mistake on the form, which is why I always read what I am signing and never take the work of the person asking me to sign.

[LongHairedLily]

discounting the Work programme external sources, as far as the DWP are concerned, they cannot force you to do more than your job centre agreement ( ES3JP ), which you and a member of staff signed. If they do want you to do more, then they have to issue you with a new jobseekers agreement, which you can appeal against. I did appeal once, when they made a mistake on the form, which is why I always read what I am signing and never take the work of the person asking me to sign.

 

I am applying as I have found theses jobs I am capable of doing. It's a case of throwing enough mud at the walls and hoping some of it sticks!lol

[Dom86]

This is what I got yesterday, anyone else got one of these?

 

click on image for larger size.

Edited July 4, 2013 by Dom86

[Dom86]

Just before my 'PWPS' appointment yesterday, I had an interview, suited up, paid £3.80 for the bus (gone up again), did a bit of interview practice in the library, then went to the interview, and I got told the person whom was meant to interview me wasn't in today, and would contact me to rearrange, not heard back, phoned just before end of work day, effectively got told they didn't have a clue.

 

SIGH, sounds like another dodgy business .

[Dom86]

2 month ago, a recruitment agency sent me to a business in 'Loughton, Essex' for a job, I turned up there and everyone was waiting outside, business just closed down.

[cubertf]

This is what I got yesterday, anyone else got one of these?]

 

No, but I am over 50. they may be for the under 35's.

[cubertf]

2 month ago, a recruitment agency sent me to a business in 'Loughton, Essex' for a job, I turned up there and everyone was waiting outside, business just closed down.

 

I have seen a couple 9no regular) jobs advertised for an administrator, I sent my cv and got rang back for an interview with an assessor.

 

on investigating the company, it was not for a specific job. it was for a training course. people went for the interview, were told they lacked the skills/experience, but they could buy the course off them.

 

I cancelled the interview, and have not applied for the 'vacancies' which I see regulary advertised, as a 'two tier' application.

[Bakatcha]

This is what I got yesterday, anyone else got one of these?

 

click on image for larger size.

I note that the copyright is "The Behavioural Insight Team£ aka "the nudge unit".

This makes me immediately suspicious! Have you been told (by JSD) to do this?

Has anyone confirmed that this is part of your JSA? - If so you would be asked to agree to it.

 

If I was presented with this I would decline to complete and refer them to my existing JSA.

[Dom86]

I note that the copyright is "The Behavioural Insight Team£ aka "the nudge unit".

This makes me immediately suspicious! Have you been told (by JSD) to do this?

Has anyone confirmed that this is part of your JSA? - If so you would be asked to agree to it.

 

If I was presented with this I would decline to complete and refer them to my existing JSA.

 

I glad you noticed that 'Re. "The Behavioural Insights Team, aka 'the nudge unit'", I was going to allude to that. Its been privatized now too, I think.

 

The Jobcentre told me to do this.

 

Looking at my new 'Jobseekers Agreement', under 'Other activties I will do to improve my changes of finding work', its says; "I will bring in a written account of my Jobsearch, using commitments booklet."

 

I'm assuming the "commitments booklet" is what's depicted in the pictures in previous post.

[Dom86]

the booklet looks like a red tape nightmare for everyone involved, and seeing as the Jobcentre and Work Programme, both told me to cut down my Jobsearch list months ago, because it was too long!

[Bakatcha]

and I thought that the JCP couldn't dictate in what format evidence of jobsearch was presented

[Mr.P]

I glad you noticed that 'Re. "The Behavioural Insights Team, aka 'the nudge unit'", I was going to allude to that.

 

Note the heading on page 2, "My job seeker journey", the scripty font on the following page, and the blatant misuse of the apostrophe - All smacks of A4e involvement in drawing it up.... For some reason, barge pole springs to mind.

 

Oh, and I would fail on at least three counts on the "job seeker journey". No updated "about me" profile, no UJ account, and certainly no "voicemail" - As for email, they can always send it to /dev/null

[Bakatcha]

Mr.P,

Your comment

All smacks of A4e involvement in drawing it up

has prompted me to look again at this document.

Several things strike me:

1. I can see no official DWP reference number for the form - just the copyright - not of the DWP but of the Nudge Unit.

2. The language used (e.g. "journey", "about you") is reminiscent of A4e documents and even the fonts used appear to be identical to those used by A4greed in their introductory booklet. Either the Nudge Unit has plagiarised A4e stuff or there has been some input from A4e. Has the infamous Oliffe-Cooper joined the Nudge Unit following his being shown the door at A4e I wonder!

The involvement of the Nudge Unit poses some questions.

Are people being mandated by JSD or JSag to use this "toolkit"?, If so is it standard procedure for all WP returnees? If not standard procedure for all how does the selection process work, i.e. what factor(s) are used to determine which of the WP rejects are subject to this and which aren't?

Is this another half baked Nudge Unit experiment along the lines of the fake psychometric testing?

[Chester6]

courses can be a good thing, and prove to a prospective employer that you are not in a rut.

 

I have a 1994 BTEC HNC in Business & Finance , which is the equivalent to a NVQ5, so most courses won't let me join, as they will not get funding.

 

I have previously tried to get on a ECDL computer course, but my former WP provider would not pay, as they would lose money. they put me on a course to get 2 halves of an NVQ1 in health & safety at work, and something else.

Learndirect does ECDL

Or at least they did middle of last year

Try your local one and see if you can get a ECDL

[cubertf]

Learndirect does ECDL

Or at least they did middle of last year

Try your local one and see if you can get a ECDL

 

near me, pertemps used to run the learndirect ecdl scheme. I signed up to do it, but when they found out about my HNC, said that they would not get funding for me to do it, so ripped up the forms.

[jadeybags]

My brother has been to his first work program thingy & is full of high hopes! Although it was a bit crazy, considering they tried to show him how to use a pc mouse, he is a whiz on pc's lol They seem to think they'll be able to help him find work due to his computer skills. I hope they're not building him up for a fall! He was close to going back on the Citalopram recently but at the moment is feeling positive & apparently the side affects for the first couple of weeks wipe him out, so no good for this work program!