Flexible New Deal Provider Information
Flexible New Deal Provider Information
Flexible New Deal providers (Phase 1)
Organisation |
Contract Area(s) |
A4e |
• Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire & Rutland
• Central London, Lambeth Southwark & Wandsworth • North and East Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley • South Yorkshire and Derbyshire • Black Country |
Calder Holdings BV |
• Central London, Lambeth Southwark & Wandsworth |
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council |
• Black Country |
Max Employment UK Ltd |
• Surrey, Sussex and Kent |
Mentor Employment & Skills |
• Birmingham and Solihull |
Pertemps People Development Group |
• Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches and Staffordshire |
Remploy |
• South Yorkshire & Derbyshire |
Seetec |
• Birmingham and Solihull |
Serco |
• Coventry and Warwickshire, The Marches and Staffordshire
• Greater Manchester Central and Greater Manchester East and West • North and Mid Wales and South East Wales |
Skills Training UK Ltd |
• Surrey, Sussex and Kent |
The Wise Group |
• Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde |
TNG |
• Cambridgeshire and Suffolk, Norfolk and Lincolnshire & Rutland |
Work Directions |
• Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders, Lanarkshire and East Dunbartonshire, Ayrshire Dumfries, Galloway and Inverclyde
• Leicestershire, Northamptonshire andNottinghamshire |
Working Links |
• Devon and Cornwall
• Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire • North and East Yorkshire and Humber and Tees Valley • South Wales Valleys and South West Wales |
Flexible New Deal subcontractors (Phase 1)
A4E
Access to Industry
APG Security
Arabic Centre for Career Development
Armstrong Learning Ltd
ATL
ATS
Barnsley MBC
Beacon Employment
Best Training
Birmingham Chamber Training Ltd
Biscom
Blue Orchid
Bolton Wise
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers
Business Bureau Wales
Business Enterprise Support
Business in the Community
Business2Business
C G Partnership
Cabrian Training
Cais Ltd
Cambridgeshire Voluntary Community Sector Learning Consortium
Cardiff Community Service Volunteers
Care Training East Midlands
Career Development Group
Carnegie College
CES Ayrshire
Chichester College
Community Training Services
Concept Training
Co-operative Community Action
Coventry and Warwickshire CDA
Creating Futures
Crossmatch Solutions
Crossover
CSV Training and Enterprise
Denbigshire Enterprise
Derby CVS
Derbyshire & Nottinghamshire Chambers of Commerce
Dering Employment Services Ltd.
DHP Scotland Ltd
East Dunbartonshire Council
East Kent ITEC
East Lindsey ITEC trading as First College
Economic Solutions
Employment Opportunities
Employment Opportunities (Shaw Trust)
Empowering People Inspiring Communities
Faith Regen Foundation
Focusing First on People
Framework Housing Association
Gingerbread/One Parent Families
Gofal Cymru
Goodwin Development Trust
Groundwork
Groundwork Manchester, Salford, Stockport, Tameside and Trafford
Groundwork Oldham and Rochdale
Gwynedd Training
Heantun Housing Association
Herefordshire PCT
Highway to Opportunities
Holyhead Opportunities Trust
InBiz Ltd
Inspire 2 Independence
Inspired Sisters
International Learning Centre
Intraining Group Ltd
It2ition
ITEC
ITS
Jericho
JET
JHP Training
Journeys
Juniper Training Ltd
Kashmir Youth Project
Kennedy Scott
Learn Today
Lifeskills Employability Ltd
Lincolnshire Action Trust
Management Introductions
Manchester College
Manpower
McSense Communications Ltd
Medway Council
Mentor
Meridian East
Merlin Venture
MI Technologies
Microcom
Midlothian Training Services
Move on East
NCDA
Neath Port Talbot Council
Newport & Gwent Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Newport City Council
Norfolk and Waveney Enterprise Services Ltd (NWES)
Norfolk Training Service
North Wales Training
North West Kent College
Nottinghamshire Business Ventures
OTR
Owton Fens Community Association
Papworth Trust
Pembrokeshire Council
People Serve
Pertemps
Phoenix Enterprises
Phoenix Training
Pinnacle
Pinnacle People
Places for People
Places for People Scotland
PRIME
Princes Trust
Project Management
Quadrant
Rathbone
Redcar & Cleveland College
Reed
Remploy
RNIB
Romney Resource
Routes to Work Ltd
Routes to Work South (Inc. South Lanarkshire Council)
Salvation Army
SAMH
Sandwell Council for Voluntary Organisations
Sandwell MBC
Sandwell Women’s Enterprise Development Agency
Sarina Russo
Scottish Wildlife Trust
Scout Enterprises
Seetec
Seetec High Peak
Shropshire County Council (County Training)
South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust (Landmark Supported Employment Scheme)
Southern Holderness Resource Centre (SHoRes)
SOVA
St Peter’s Partnership
Standguide
Steps to Work (Walsall) Ltd
Stoke-On-Trent College
Stradlestone
Strodes
STUK
Suffolk Association of Voluntary Organisations (SAVO)
Talent Recruitment Ltd
TBG Learning
The Big Life Group
The Hope Foundation
The Learning Zone
The Papworth Trust
The Prince’s Trust
The Priory Centre
The Trust
The Vale of Glamorgan Council
TNG
Torridge Training
Track 2000
Train 2000
Triage
Tydfil Training
Voluntary Norfolk
VT Enterprises
Walsall Community College
West Lothian College
West Midlands CSV
Wise
WM Morrison Trust
Women’s Workshop Cardiff
Working Links
Workwise
Workwise (Suffolk) Ltd
YMCA – Northallerton
YMCA Training
YMCA-Darlington
FND Phase 2 info coming soon.
Link Summary
- Unique Post
Hi Flexible New Deal – I’ve emailed Daren Brumbaugh from the job centre’s TPPT requesting someone from the job centre be present at the meeting with TNG and Skills Training UK that is if they agree to my conditions , And pointed out that the providers guide states meetings not to be bias so could they please pass that on to TNG , And of coarse they cant stop the job centre coming.
I witnessed a visit from Jobcentre Plus at TNG the last time I was down there…. I overheard another adviser asking someone if they were interested in giving their views to Jobcentre Plus in a meeting at 2.30pm… apparently it would be a with a group of participants raising their views on TNG for about 30 minutes… funnily enough they didn’t ask me. I was gonna wait around uninvited but I thought I would wait and save it up for the next one.
Hi Flexible New Deal – where was the TNG meeting held , it would be interesting to find out what was said , And do you remember the date.
Was watching bbc news 24 and saw the so called new chancellor and he stated that all pilots will be looked into and some may be cancelled. lets complain to the DWP secretary and see if we can get it cancelled
Hi Kyron I’m meeting with my friend the MP and I will be discussing FND and other programs , I had an intresting conversation with a member of the third party provisions team who areed that FND its not working and a waste of money as it cost more to run than the savings on job outcome ,which I will quote to my MP and explain whats going on and how basic these coarses are , And to pass the information on to Iain Duncan Smith as I feel this would be a good place to stop wasting money
Hi Flexible New Deal – The job centre have agreed to my request for a member of there staff to be present at the meeting with TNG and Skills Training UK , No reply from TNG yet perhaps there talking to their legal department , Also Skills Training UK have not replied to the job centre about consenting to my witness and recording the meeting , I dont no whats taking them so long its a simple question yes or no, Anyway I’ve made another request to the job centre about making certain the TNG staff involved are present on the day of the meeting , If I keep inviting people there will be enough for a party
Hi Martin
I too have been to a 3rd party provider today. they are really trying to help me and it is exactly the tight place for people like me. they care and have my best interests at heart and they also stated that they don’t have much regard for the current system. the old one worked much better than this one ?
Im not really going to quote the bloke word for word but i got the distinct impression they werentpleased. Oh and I also got 2 lots of money today lat times transport and this times it is coming direct from A4E.
Martin you are also quite welcome to pass my information on and if you want to exchange emails privately I will be quite happy to talk to your mp as well as mine
Hi Kyron – Glad to hear your getting somewhere I will mention you and this web site to my MP, Still no reply from Skills Training uk or TNG and also no reply to my request from the job centre yet, I bumped into a friend I’ve not seen for a while and it turns out that he joined the FND coarse voluntary but only did the induction and told them he wont be back, Which is probably best for them as he was in trouble for threatening someone with a replica gun
Martin yes by all means mention my name but it might be a better idea if you ask him/her to speak to james morris MP
I found this link after a brief look about the civil service letters of direction which seems to show it wasused on a lot of occasions recently in 2010 they were directed on ten occassions. wonder how much thatwas on dwp
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/election-2010/7737782/Big-increase-in-civil-servant-objections-to-Labour-spending-plans-in-2009-and-2010.html
I read this on the daily mail and i thought. well at least they are finding out what it is like for people on the other end of the scale
‘We’re being treated like benefit claimants’: MPs whinge at strict new expenses rules
Hi Kyron – I had a meeting with my MP yesterday and passed both your details on, Unfortunately the meeting was only half an hour long so I couldnt discuss everything I would have liked, Anyway Ive still not had a reply from Skills Training UK or TNG and the job centre but my MP said he will arrange a meeting and be present and that they cannot refuse his request, He also tells me there scraping all present coarses and forming one big coarse so it can be kept eye on, Ive raised my concerns about the same providers getting the contracts and asked him to get these firms backgrounds checked,Ive expressed my problem of not being able to sign on as I will be returned to TNG which is not going to happen, And that I dont trust the job centre or any provider now, I provided him with details of this web site so he can look for himself.
Hi Martin and thanks much appreciated. I just hope it muddies the water enough and some of the mud sticks.
Hi Marin
Had a phone call from my MP Today, letting me know he is following everything up and has reviewed my papers. He has also contacted the CAB discrimination case worker
I went to my local mp’s Mr Morris advice surgery. I spoke to him at length regarding what has happened and that all I really wanted was to go back to Action for Blind People. He took notes and said he will look into this. I provided the mp with the paperwork I have received. And he did state he would try to help.
Hi Flexible New Deal – Just to update you about my meeting with Avanta TNG, I’ve now recieved a reply after me prompting them with an email copy of my letter, And it goes like this TNG are still not willing to meet my conditions, And are saying there happy to give me a signed copy of any notes taken during the meeting, Their also saying my comment about having no income is to do with the job centre as only they can give sanctions?, And this idiot is a managing director, What I said was I’ve no income because of the way TNG’s staff treated me, Hence I signed off, Then he goes on to say he has spoken to Skills Training UK and they have arranged a second pre-arranged meeting with me and dont feel its necessary to attend this meeting, What a pity they forgot to tell me or the job centre about it, So I rang Daren Brumbaugh of the TPPT about this and he confirmed that no meeting has been arranged and that Skills Training UK have not even replied to them yet,(Also there never was a first meeting), They are also trying to push for a meeting on the 2nd of june giving no time to to reach an agreement so they can tell the job centre they offered a meeting but I wouldnt accept, But that will not work as TNG are about to find out as my MP is going to arrange the meeting, And then I get to state my conditions and we do it are way not theirs.
Hi Flexible New Deal – I received a letter from Peter Brooks managing director of Avanta TNG on the 28/5/2010 and I quote,I write to advice that Mr Gordon Henderson MP has been in touch to say that he would like to attend our meeting. Mr Henderson was unavailable on 2nd june and so I have agreed to meet him on 4th june at 2pm. Please could I ask therefore that you meet with us at 2pm on friday 4th june at our Isle of sheppey office (The Gateway, Rushenden Road, Queenborough,ME11 5HX). So once again more lies as no meeting was arranged, I told TNG that unless they agreed to my terms I would not meet them, All they did was rearrange their letter to say the same thing as previously and that they looked forward to meeting me on the 2nd of june, Ive been passing their letters on to my MP and the job centre, The job centre is now begining to see whats going on and I’ve pointed out that TNG are still trying to arrange a bias meeting even when they no this is against the rules and the only reason for this is they have something to hide, Also they agree TNG have lied in their letters so some progress.
Hi martin thats great news mine is progressing even more now. The DL 56 forms are now complete and I will be popping into bilston on 2nd June at 2pm to sign and send off to the parties concerned.
If I may martin I would like to pass the name of your M.P onto mine. I think then if they get their heads together it just may help in our favour
Hi Kyron – Feel free to pass my MPs details on, They are Gordon Henderson and his ward is sittingbourne and sheppey, Any help is appreciated thanks.
01/06/10
I went to beacon today and spnt a little over 25 minutes in the place. I showed the basic jobsearches and answered any relevant questions. I was also given the 7.20 travel costs. Five minutes before the end I was asked about workplacements and I said I had looked into a few places but most were looking to make people redundant. Wolverhampton Council were mentioned and they stated that it doesn’t matter whether or not they are making people redundant, as they will ALWAYS accommodate workplacements. Does this make unions irrelevant I thought > Would I be thought of and called a scab. Wolverhampton University was also mentioned ?
Hi Flexible New Deal – I recieved a letter today from a Jeremy Groombridge CB director on behalf of the chief executive, He said he is satisfied they have investigated my concerns fully and fairly, So I sent him an email and told him I want my complaints about TNG’s bias meetings looking into, Also the fact TNG have lied in the three letters they have sent me (which Daren Brumbaugh of the TPPT agrees are lies)and the fact that I never did a job search in the three months I was on the coarse, And that if he didnt intend to do anything could I have a letter stating so, Later on in the day I recieved an email from a Sarah Mc Kiernan of the jobcentre plus secretariat customer and stakeholder division who couldnt even get my name right or read as once again I’m told to go to ICE, And also theres nothing more to add to their last reply, so I’ve sent another email telling them ICE are a waste of space and that their in bed with TNG, I have my meeting with TNG tomorrow and I believe Skills Training UK are coming but as usual Daren Brumbaugh didnt let me no as promised so I only have his secretary to go by, I dont no if someone from the jobcentre is still coming as his secretary didnt no, So I will update you about the meeting tomorrow but my guess is TNG will be in denial.
Hi Martin that figures. They say they have investigated but none of the people i quoted to corroborate my experience have been contacted. Also included in my letter was veiled threat of sanctions and that I should complain to ICE
Hi Kyron – I’ve been geting the same response as you it seems the DWP are protecting the providers, The cheif executive has gone one step further with me and now tells me their not intrested so go to ICE, Anyway an update of my meeting with TNG as promised, it went like this no Skills Training uk present or jobcentre so it looks like daren brumbaugh secretary got it wrong, Present at my meeting were Peter Brooks/ Tim Lacey and two secretaries from TNG my MP and of coarse myself, As I thought TNG tried to smooth talk and deny what I siad as my version but I was having none of it and kept on bringing things up that had happend and they kept trying to change the subject, But I made my point and just kept refering them to the providers guide, I made some progress and TNG now admit what Clare Goff said to me, But are still trying to get out of the victimisation for taxi fares even though I’ve told them they have no right to deny me them or impose condition as stated in the providers guide, TNG are now going to send me a letter stating what clare said and something about the taxi fares but they have been told not to get clever as if its not to my liking I will not accept it, TNG are also frightened about putting the word discrimination in the letter, They also tell me Clare Goff is no longer with them but I dont no if this is true or if she has just been moved, We have now agreed to a meeting with all four partys present to sort out were to go from here, As I now want the jobcentre to apologise and admit I was right, Then I’m going to ask my MP to send my case to the parliamentary ombudsman, So dont give up Kyron the more of us that stick at it the better.
Please confirm something to me (maybe I am misunderstanding).
In the meeting were 6 people – 4 from TNG, 0 from Jobcentre Plus, 0 from Skills Training, 1 MP and yourself?
This seems a bit much as its like a ratio of 4:1:1 as even though you have negotiated your MP to be present, your MP is rather a neutral party as such (i.e. you do not employ your MP etc.). Sounds like they wanted to outnumber you, perhaps for the purpose of “3 other people in the room clearly heard what was said” (actually lies). Funny enough the “power of 3″.
Can’t say I am surprised… TNG is a joke. Simply not a funny one – which makes it even worse.
Hi Flexible New Deal – You got it spot on, But I was naughty and recorded anyway
, My MP’s not bothered as he tells me he’s been sworn in by the queen and any court will take his word as the truth, There would have been five of them but Hidi Griffin didnt show up and no one explained why, The next meeting could be fun as TNG think they have addressed my other complaints within the coarse but when the jobcentre and skills training are present I’m going to take TNG right throught my complaint again, I’ve also told them if they dont come clean we go to court and I will bring a case of harassment under the dicrimination act, And when I sort TNG it’s DWP turn, And I must say Peter Brooks didnt look to happy after our meeting.
Hi Martin I have no interest in giving up. Im in it for the bitter struggle and I intend on asking my mp to refer it to the parliamentary ombudsman. Which I beleive is Anne abrahams
Hi Kyron – Could you please tell me if you have been dealing with any of these people from the chief executives office, David Chapman or Jeremy Groombridge, As in my recent meeting with TNG when I told them I’ve never done a job search with them and they quickly repied that I had and that they had done several things with me, which was a lie as I’m suposed to bring a work sheet with my job search on and do a job search there, So I said show me my job search work sheets and they changed the subject, Which leads me to beleive all the job centre does is ring the provider who then by cleverly wording there reply convinces DWP that you lied, So no investigation just their word against yours, But at my next meeting the jobcentre will be present and I will be asking what steps they take to investigate as even when I’ve send them copys of letters showing TNG tyring to set up bias meetings they still say they have investigated and no avidence was found, So DWP is in bed with the providers and it wont find against them, Another thing I brought up in my meeting was that I could prove what I’ve said is true because all thay have to do is talk to the people on the modules with me, But suprise suprise they dont want to do that but changed the subject, Which is the same as you so we give them evidence and they wont look into it, But this will be in front of my MP so I cant wait for there reply, And if you check up on the parliamentary ombudsman you will find she is not happy with the DWP and their complaints handling, One more thing I dont no if you are aware but when you get to the parliamentary ombudsman that is the end of your complaint.
Hi martin. I can confirm that I have had letters of the stated people above. I even had to pick up david chapman regarding the use of large print and yellow paper.
Yes I am aware that when it finally gets to the parliamentary ombudsman it is the end of the complaint. But I have a long way to go before I get to that. Going to write to the so called DWP secretary, My M.P, newspapers and well I well I amwaiting for the forms for a4e and DWPforms from the dwp. I have got them both and they key is making it stick.
Will keep ya informed
Hi Kyron – I’ve been on to the jobcentre today about my next meeting to see who they are sending, And they said it would just be someone from the jobcentre, So Ive asked them to arrange for someone from the DWP to be present as I want to ask them to their face how they investigated my complaint and for them to hear first hand what is going on, And then I want them to tell me and my MP it didnt happen.
Oh martin they will try it they will probably make out your a card carrying window licker. dont listen to them and make the prove your mad. I know your not your just angry at the crap they are trying to pull. So they will have an impossible task. they might try and spin it some other handle perhaps statingyou were sexist or racist or other stuff yadda yadda. they spent too much time learning to lie and not tell the truth for them to change over night
Hi Flexible New Deal – You seem to have taken a dislike to TNG just lately, And I wondered if your on a coarse with them, if so any information about where and whats going on would be handy as I’m trying to find out as much about them as I can to bring up at my next meeting, I’ve been told that on the coarse at rushenden they’ve been getting you to sign your action plan to attend a module, And then at the last minute phone you to say its been cancelled, This is also happening with 1to1 appointments and Their not refering people with special needs as agreed with them, So it would be of intrest if this is going on elsewhere.
Hi Martin
I can assure you that it might appear to be only lately, but it has been a pure amateur attempt by them since day 1 with their inability to do anything right. Not something I would expect a small subcontractor to be doing let alone a large prime contractor, especially one who has previous undertook New Deal.
Will get back to you with more. Check out: http://intensiveactivity.wordpress.com/2010/02/05/flexible-new-deal-in-ipswich/ for some insight.
15/06/10
I went to beacon today and got £7.20 for less than 15 minutes. The beacon lady stated that I am doingeverything that I should be doing and if I was with them they would only neeed to see me once a month instead of every fortnght. It take me longer to get to the beacon centre than I actually spend in the centre itself.
NOW IS THIS OR IS THIS NOT A WASTE OF TAXPAYER MONEY
Heyas,
I have been out of work for over a year now, And have been trying desperately to find work in anything, I have mainly been turned down because I do not have a full birth certificate at present, which will be here soon.
So from the past three horrible weeks.
I got placed on this course Called the Sarina Russo Job access. I am told that they will help me by putting me in work placements and so on.
Well I turn up for the induction and meet two people … They didnt even know I was meant to be there that day. So I answer a series of questions, then THEY HAVE THE CHEEK TO TELL ME * We do not like negative thoughts, be positive*
They explained the procedures to me and tried to tell me how they arent like the other courses and I said yes they are. * I have been on these courses they are all the same , but this one might be more helpful*
Then they start about the whole sanctioning stuff and I said i have not missed one day of any of the courses i was on * which I truly havent missed one day* but they still pushed about the sanction, and i started feeling scared and thinking have i done something wrong?
They then go on to what work I want to get in to. So I tell them I really want to get into Customer services or Administration as I really enjoyed working in these sectors before.
They then go on to what limits me from certain areas of work. This bit really makes my blood boil. I clearly stated to both of them that I have a knee injury and I CAN NOT*** not *will not*, I physically can not do work that requires me to stand for long periods of time because it can affect my knee and I was told by a surgeon that if my knee goes up the creek one more time I will probably end up having key hole surgery.
(I then get a text saying that my cousin has tried to kill himself and is in hospital. So I asked if i could leave early to go see him. They then start talking about sanctions and that this will be take off my holidays.)
Well you can guess what happened next. I had to repeat myself to the person they appointed me to, who was there during the induction, and wow you guessed it he/she took no notice of what I had told them. I was placed on a work placement that involved standing up, for 6 hours! I thought ok fine i dont want trouble so i will give it a try because i normally know when my knee is going to play up so i would stop if it did. WRONG!!!! about 2 hours in i feel this HUGE RUSH OF PAIN in the back of my knee then this burning sensation at the front. I look down to notice that my knee has swelled up to nearly the size of a childs play ball, then the joint stiffened. Now i am not the type to cry in font of people, it is the way i was brought up, *tears and emotions at home, happiness and laughter in public* But i really wanted to cry because of the pain.
I asked the shop manager if i could go home and he/she even said that he/she could tell i was in pain and embarrassingly gave me a walking stick to use to keep my balance.
I get an emergency appointment and go see the doctor, he/she said that there is severe knee inflammation and that I must stay off my leg for a week to rest it and he/she gave me a note.
I then find out that i have to go see an osteopathic surgeon and there is a high possibility of key hole surgery.
I get a phone call from sarina russo asking when i will next be in and i explained the situation to them. So now they want me to take the note to them the next day …. HELLO! 45 minute bus journey and 20 minute walk? Then i get threatened with being sanctioned if i cant bring that note in the next day. so i thought fine. I got my partner to take it in for me.
now for a whole week i was doped up on pain killers and anti inflammatory, that did nothing for the pain.
I went in on last week tuesday mornin to find out that these days are going to be taken off my sick days and holidays. So i though thats fair enough, then do what was asked of me and started job searching.
Now the 2 people are standing near my desk and over heard them talking about having a chat with me and one other person. So one of them said lets go do (other person) first cause i need to smile. I was disgusted by this.
45 minutes to an hour latter they come and get me to have a ‘chat’, I felt trapped, they then go on about how one of them is a qualified councillor and how i give off a negative vibe. he/she then has the cheek to say *i do not think that you do want to get into work* i said Excuse me?!?! he/she then says*i think you want to get back into education*… did he/she really think i wouldn’t of heard what they said the first time? any ways we came up with a deal, I talk to them more, they help me more.
long story short, a load of trouble comes up with my family, as well as my partner and i were facing eviction so BIG PANIC, they did help us out a bit, which was nice and they told me to take the rest of the week off to find a home.
Finally found a place, and managed to sort things out with our current landlord. so panic over.
Get back to the place this monday all went fine .. until i find out last minute that i am being put back on the same placement( this is a placement i was led to believe that was only for a week and they would find me one relevant to the work i want to do.) but thankfully they arranged work that didnt involve me standing.
Which leads to today, I go to my placement, was all fun until i finished my work within 2 hours of being there.. so on my lunch i went to a place and asked them if they would take on a volunteer and explained about the course im on, they told to get my cv and a letter from sarina russo.
I phone sarina russo and asked for my advisor and he/she was out at lunch so i asked if i could come down to print my cv and get a letter. I was told that it would be fine to do so.
I get to sarina russo and speak to my advisor, i then get asked why am i not on my placement and i explained that i finished my work early, but i found a place that will take me on. i then get told that it has to be community based work…. I was not told this in the beginning?
I then get a series of phone calls from them this afternoon talking more about sanctioning me and i told them that the placement they have me on is boring( i am way to fast paced for this placement)
I then get told that i have to do community based work and that it will be difficult for them to get me into the work i want to do….. Which turns out i will be on this placement for 13 weeks? i was told it would be for 1 week… I then get accused of making excuses and lying about a job interview that i have tomorrow and that i have to bring proof of attending it and they were getting very nasty on the phone to me.
I have now made an appointment with my advisor at the job center and i am going to complain, because of them not listening I have gotten injured, Because of them pushing me and adding more stress on to me i feel like i can not cope!
Im even thinking of going to the papers and radio stations about this!
Hi Wilted. You are not alone in getting exactly the same treatment. These are not places or placements designed to help. They are actually designed to move the goal posts to get people to sign off. They also use lots and lots of threats of sanctions.
They don’t really give a toss about the poor person they are seeing they see you and others like big cash signs. It is deplorable and getitng worse.
My Story
Visually impaired, suffering with depression, other stomache problems as well. I made a stink and got sent to a4e. A4E were useless so I got refered to beacon centre for the blind in wolverhampton. They were understanding at first. The have had their advantahgre west midlands funding withdrawn by the scrapping of these regional quangos and now they are chasing the money,
I told them about my deression and mood swings the general consensus from them was that I am putting up barriers to stop me getting into work. I told them no I wasn’t im depressed and suicidal. They said well you shouldn’t be signing on. your choice to be dole scorunging scum, nobody making you sign on. IF YOU DON’T LIKE IT F-OFF. Threats of sanctions
hey kyron,
You are right all they see us as is huge dollar signs!!! today i have my meeting with the job centre and if they dont take me off it, well then ill be seeing them in court, because i know they have it on their system about my leg cause i have read it and it clearly states ‘ un able to do work that requires her to stand up due to a knee injury ‘, but!!! before i say anything to him i am going to ask him if he can print all that off for me first! HA!!!
I have been in touch with a psychologist and she said that i am suffering from anxiety ‘ basically i am almost scared of everything and my mind can really go to bad places ‘ lol on bus journeys i freak and get all tense because i am scared of the bus tipping over…. So i dont need their threats and what not on top of all the stress im under at the mo.
You shouldnt be putting up with this rubbish either. isnt there someone you can talk to?
If you ever need a friend, (or a stranger to share your burdens with) i am always here XD depression is a horrible feeling, so i just wanted you to know that you will always have a listening ear XD
Send in a Data Protection Act 1998 request asking for it. This way they cannot deny (with a few exceptions i.e. if you are investigated for fraud etc. which isn’t the case) the request, otherwise they might try and be funny about it. Its normally picked up by someone higher in authority (although I assume they delegate it lower but will be a different person).
Ask for details they hold about you including all notes on their computer system. Make sure you do not request everything as they will send you half a tree in print outs! If you want me to write a template letter for you to help you with it, please let me know.
Further to flexible new deals suggestion, you should also ask the place you were sent for the information as well. See whatthis will do is it will clearly find out who is at fault. In my case the DWP gave me all the information that they gave to A4E and it clearly told them i was visually impaired. they ignored that. The next step like me was to go to the CAB and ask them for some help they will probably put you in contact with a discrimination case worker. Then the fun can start.
Wiltedrose dont give up plod on the more paperwork and the more grief you give them the better it is for everyone else.
The DWP has severely screwed up with me as well and hasn’t played fair again i am going do the lines of communication. the more you nuge them up the better.
oh yeah and now i have to take more time off, they are signing me off the course and i might be sanctioned if i cant sort out an esa form soon.
i would appreciate a template very much as i have no idea what i am meant to write.
I got out of hospital last night because of my leg again, i have to go to a fracture clinic next week to get it assessed. finally have my appointment with the orthopaedic surgeon in september. i am fed up, and i will take this as far as i can go. i just dont know where to start lol
Wiltedrose. flexi is probably the best person to provide with you a data protection request letter. One or two more things you could try and do is post on the spending challenge site and your freedom. This so called new benefit system is getting slammed alot please post as well.
Get your local MP involved. The one for your region I would suggest you google it if you are unsure as the local mp’s have surgery times or should have surgery time. you generally drop by and talk to the mp the mechanism tends to differ from mp to mp. Get some papwerowkr flyign their way.
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/ a site you could look atto ee whatyou can do
My mother broke her arm so I had to catch the train and taxi. £5.90 for a train to wolverhampton and £7.00 for a taxi to beacon centre. I was asked about a job with the RNIB, as a trainee chef. Out of my field I thought, think about it, if we were a4e we would be reqiring you to apply for this. I didn’t reply, but thought thatsnot right. Ythey also mentioned to me again that I should perhaps move onto esa asit would not be so pushing and punative.and that they could work with me whilst on that. They also stated that I needed to fill out an application for sandwell PCT for a worksplacement.
I sopoke to the person who tookmy signing on booklet that some of my circumstances had changed and that a note would be sent upto mandy she might contact me back. Had noting as of 11/08/2010
I also printed out parts of the workfare scheme and they didn’t like what they saw especially.
It is very likely that a high proportion of those forced on to workfare will be disabled and
other disadvantaged people, who will be more likely than non-disabled people to reach the end
of the flexible New Deal without having obtained a job; workfare, in addition to all its other
drawbacks, thus has the potential to be discriminatory in its impact.
It is an extreme form of exploitation to require someone to work without pay and the TUC is
fundamentally opposed to compulsory unpaid work experience for extended periods in jobs
that would otherwise be taken by workers paid the rate for the job. This would exploit
THIS BITAs Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind put it:
“We welcome the recognition that the voluntary sector has an important role to play in
helping people into employment, but our clients must always come first. Trust is one of the
voluntary sector’s unique selling points. We can’t betray people by getting involved in
compelling them into work before they are ready, or without the support they need.”