Does it pay to work? - Workfare

[flashy]

Guinness, i don't work for an 'employer' the company i work for is BOOTSTRAP(the place that helps people get back into work), the shop is a 'not for profit' organization, everything the shop makes goes back into the shop, electric, gas etc, everyone who works there apart from the manager is a volunteer, the shop was put into place purposely to train people up for a job in retail, i shouldn't be there now, i should have left after 4 weeks, but i asked if i could stay on until i found a job, by staying on i've developed more skills

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Benipete

I remember back in the 60's when I was an apprentice bricklayer,stonemason,drain layer flagger and kerber plasterer,slater and tiler and all round good egg and you where an apprentice wood butcher we all worked for virtually nothing.

Happy days!!

I started age 13 on a shilling an hour.

Ya those were the days Beni don't think my first wage was anything like that though, think I was on about 7p an hour, know it wasn't much, but that's the way it was in those days think a fully qualified joiner was only on about £7 or £8 a week

[Less]

Originally Posted by flashy

BOOTSTRAP(the place that helps people get back into work),

Yes, aren't they wonderful?
I've been attending since June.
First time I went there I was given a print out of their intentions of how they would get me back to work, extra training in any weak points, I may have, I asked about training in CAD, the reply was a definite no because it would be too expensive. So no course, They mentioned a first Aid course being held in July they might be able to squeeze me in if I apply quickly, now I had no problem with that, I think a refresher course would do me good. Here we are nearly October, no course, I didn't realise the rush was to fit me in for July next year.
Another intention was to ensure that I would be trained to be able to get a permanent secure position with a working wage. So far all they offered was a Temporary insecure job on minimum wage. They were shocked when I took out my copy of their promises and quoted it at them, they thought perhaps I didn't want to work.
On another visit to them I was asked if I would like to go back to College? There are plenty of full time two year courses I could come out with a degree.
I mentioned that in two years time I would legally be able to retire, so should I take up a course position including the Monetary grants paid for by the tax payer for a Certificate I might never use? They didn't like my attitude when I suggested that perhaps a younger person would benefit far more from being offered such a good chance.
The only other thing they do is check through the record that I create to show the Jobcentre what I have applied for, they then copy every job that I have on my sheet into a data base, I assume this is to show that they actually do some work, (I could make it easier for them, I could email them a copy of the spreadsheet I print it out from so they can copy and paste, but what the hey, it gives them something to do whilst supping their free brews).

Oh the last time I was there they had a starter course for computers, one of the people there that knows me and the job I do came over and asked, Is your name down for the computer course? My reply was perhaps a bit harsh, I said only if I'm giving the lecture and you're paying me.
God I hate that place, worse than the dole lots of non people pretending to do non jobs for my benefit? Yeah right. Still only another 18 months of the intensive training course to go, unless I'm lucky and win the lottery, or if I'm really, really lucky and can find myself a genuine job!

[flashy]

Oh dear

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Originally Posted by flashy

Oh dear

Yes that's what I think everytime I have to attend an appointment.

[flashy]

I still sign on, i still look for work, i still go to Bootstrap, i've been on a first aid course, retail course, food hygiene course and an interview skills course in the 13 months i've been with them, i suppose how well you do all depends on the person you are, some people don't bother doing anything and are happy to just sit on their backsides and sign on every couple of weeks, thats not who i am, i've always been a pro active person and will continue to be, obviously what works for one doesn't work for another

[Less]

Originally Posted by flashy

I still sign on, i still look for work, i still go to Bootstrap, i've been on a first aid course, retail course, food hygiene course and an interview skills course in the 13 months i've been with them, i suppose how well you do all depends on the person you are, some people don't bother doing anything and are happy to just sit on their backsides and sign on every couple of weeks, thats not who i am, i've always been a pro active person and will continue to be, obviously what works for one doesn't work for another

It is not my attitude to sit on my backside doing nothing either, I would gladly go on the first aid course, I would gladly go on any worthwhile course to do with getting me into gainful employment, the sooner the better, unfortunately I can only comment on my experience of that place which so far isn't of anymore use to me and is even more uncomfortable than walking around after having a wet fart.

[Guinness]

Not denigrating anyone who gets off their backside and tries to improve their CV.

I've dealt with Bootstrap from an employers perspective, and I wasn't all that impressed. I think that they are basically a company that has jumped on the charity bandwagon which enables them to get funding from jobcentre+ and local government. The 'not for profit' tag is a smokescreen since they probably balance the books by asking for an appropriate level of funding. They have over 100 employees with pensions on an average of £11 an hour.

Their record of securing actual jobs for people is pretty poor. What they are good at is securing free training, unpaid work placements or college courses for people, all of which is out there for joe public to access without going via Bootstrap, and should be offered by the job centre anyway.

Basically everyone is paying through the nose, firstly and quite rightly they are supporting those thrown out of work while they try to get another job, but..... secondly they are funding this company via central government and thirdly they are funding it through local government.

I'm struck by a thought, in 2013 the unemployed of Blackburn will probably have to pay 20% of their council tax, I guess this means that they are, in effect, funding the wages of the people that ask them to work for nothing or find them free training from their weekly pittance. You couldn't make this up

[Less]

I think it was during the 80's a Tv play about a high rise office block, all the employees busy busting numbers and going through the usual torment of doing a standard job.

Until one of them discovered that these jobs had been created as had many more in similar office blocks to keep the unemployment figures down, footstep reminds me of that, totally useless but what the hey, 40 odd thousand less on the over all country unemployment figures, so it must be a plus.
By the way, next time your down the dole, go on their machine and look for bootstrap vacancies, non of my searches come up with anything.

[flashy]

firstly, I'm free to leave REBOUND bookshop anytime i want, i could just walk out whenever, no one is making me stay here, i'm doing this off my own back.

secondly the shop has had success stories, a guy who started here the same time as i did found a job with the help of the manager, trainees are encouraged to do job searches whilst here, they are told about job vacancies on a daily basis

negative breeds negativity, there will always be the sceptical out there who refuse to see anything apart from what they want to see, the help is out there if people can be bothered to look for it

[Less]

Originally Posted by flashy

firstly, I'm free to leave REBOUND bookshop anytime i want, i could just walk out whenever, no one is making me stay here, i'm doing this off my own back.

secondly the shop has had success stories, a guy who started here the same time as i did found a job with the help of the manager, trainees are encouraged to do job searches whilst here, they are told about job vacancies on a daily basis

negative breeds negativity, there will always be the sceptical out there who refuse to see anything apart from what they want to see, the help is out there if people can be bothered to look for it

I don't know why you're being so defensive I haven't criticised you or your wish to be a member of this, 'team', if it keeps you happy great, I personally would prefer to put all my effort into finding a real job and then I can start paying taxes to subsidise you and your phoney employer.

[flashy]

Cart on with your way of life Less, if you're happy sitting on your backside until you're 65 then so be it, i hope you can get away with it, good luck

[Less]

Originally Posted by flashy

Cart on with your way of life Less, if you're happy sitting on your backside until you're 65 then so be it, i hope you can get away with it, good luck

Why do you think that's what I've been doing? Can't be from the posts in this thread, however if you wish to think that you are contributing to society, you 'cart on', I will continue to look for a job where I get enough to live on and can pay the taxman his due.

[flashy]

Very good

[Rob249]

Ive been fortunate today to get an interview tomorrow, at the new tesco's in padiham which is opening soon.So fingers crossed it all works out and I can get back to earning a wage again.