anyone on jobseekers been on the work program?

What exactly do you mean by the Work Program?

I have to do 30hrs at the library just to get any jobseekers allowance, which gives me less time to search for jobs!

My volunteering at a local charity shop has meant I have met a few people doing mandatory work placements.

For a start they are pretty much useless and are unlikely going to undermine your job hunting.

If its MWP I recommend avoiding at all costs.

If you want work experience then volunteer somewhere do not use the job centre as they will screw you over.

Yes I am on a Mandatory Work Programme.

I've been looking into volunteering at somewhere like a library anyway, but only for ~8hrs a week rather than 30 hours! Just something extra to put on CV really.

I kind of need the £50/week though...

Facing workfare on one of these schemes? Know your rights!

For more information on your rights on the Work Programme and at the Job Centre, visit donotsign.com and consent.me.uk.

Download this know your rights leaflet to share with others.

⇑ Mandatory Work Activity: Check and challenge your eligibility

Mandatory Work Activity (MWA) is a 4 week 30 hour compulsory work placement (or 75% of time you are available for work) for people the job centre decides are:

“lacking, or failing to demonstrate, the focus and discipline that is necessary to effectively: seek out and pursue job opportunities or secure and retain employment.” (MWA Guidance pt 15)

They must give a reason and explain to you why you are being referred to MWA. Any reason should fit the above criteria in italic or they can now use the reason that a “lack of recent work experience is a barrier to work” and you have not taken part in something work experience related recently (e.g. Work Experience scheme, volunteering etc.).

If any of these below points apply to you, you are not eligible for MWA and you should challenge any referral:

you are currently working (paid or voluntary)
you are undertaking employment related study / training
you are taking part in or recently completed another “employment measure”
you are being referred because your advisor thinks you haven’t been meeting your jobseeker’s agreement.
These are found in the MWA guidance points 18-20.

MWA is 4 weeks, if you cannot complete all 4 weeks due to jury service or holiday arrangements (or perhaps likelihood of starting job) etc, then it should be deferred. Also if you are to start the work programme in the next 6 weeks then you should not be referred to MWA.

Your “suitability” for MWA should be identified through a “work targeted interview process”, which can be supported by the use of the Customer Assessment Tool (CAT). You are free to be selective in what and how you answer, or just decline to complete this, and other (eg. Looking for Work Form), assessments.

“the customer must consent to the adviser using the CAT” Source: CAT guidance July 2012

“LFW1 is intended to be helpful and inform the interview, but completion is not mandatory.” Source: FOI Dec 2011

Here is a template of a letter to give to your advisor to remove consent for these assessments to take place, which makes it more difficult for them to justify sending you on MWA:

Dear Jobcentre Adviser,

RE: Customer Assessment Tool (CAT) and other assessments

Can you please place a note on my clerical and LMS or other computer records that I do not consent ever, for CAT or any other consent based assessment technique to be used and or recorded onto any electronic medium, such as LMS or clerically.

Please make or transcribe an exact copy of this letter onto my electronic and clerical (paper) Jobcentre Plus records.

If you cannot get out of your referral to MWA then restricting the use of your details will possibly slow down your placement.

Note: You can be referred to MWA for dropping out of an employment measure (eg. Work Experience) or if you have recently received a “labour market related sanction” of your benefits – see point 18 of MWA provider guidance.

The job centre has a weekly hour limit for volunteering of 16 hours. However, you may find advisers are hostile to any volunteering you do (seriously monday morning volunteering in a charity shop has been challenged by one adviser.

Basically, if you do other volunteering you are not eligible for their slave labour programmes.Still does not stop them trying to refer you. I had an argument on my last signing on as I was not eligible yet my advisor was trying to refer me to a work placement.

The boycott workfare has a lot of information.

http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?page_id=1820

Guys I will explain the situation. I have been on job seekers for about 9 months now and never been in employed work. I did my 8 week placement at CAB and then decided to stay there as a volunteer which the job center didn't particular like.

I do about 30 hours per week and have been doing so for the past 4 months. Even then my adviser said that I have 4 weeks left before I am transferred to the work program and she doesn't want that to happen because its brutal and they make the decisions. It has nothing to do with the job center anymore. It's up to them what they make us do.

https://www.gov.uk/moving-from-benefits-to-work/job-search-programmes

I was sent to work in a Salvation Army shop for 4 weeks at 30 hours a week. Being there wasn't too bad but it was a complete and utter waste of time and nobody at the Job Centre or the placement provider gives a **** if it will help you or not. It actually made looking for a job a lot harder as you're almost working full time.

I got thrown off mine cos I kept going to interviews lol, I'm back at cdg now let's see what happens lol

I took three days off for an interview and they didn't seem to care. One day for the interview and two to prepare for it. I just asked the shop manager rather than JHP (the placement provider). I told them I'd work 3 extra days at the end but they said it was just 4 weeks and I didn't have to make the time up. Pretty decent of them but it's a disgrace they don't allow for interviews. How the **** do they expect people to get jobs if they can't go to interviews.

It just shows these schemes are all about being seen to punish the unemployed, forcing people to quit JSA even if they can't find work and lining the pockets of businesses like employment agencies and the businesses who take the workers.

Hi,

I was one of the first to go on to it about two years ago (either the second or third rotation), and I am here to tell you now it has been the biggest waste of my time I have ever known. I received no help with regards to my CV and cover letter presentation (both what information to put in and how to layout etc.), no seminars (as was promised initially by the 'oh so wonderful!(read heavy sarcasm) job-advisor at the job-centre.

The thing is in three stages, the first stage due to illness I mainly missed (this lasted for 3 months (it may have changed now), this was a foretaste of what was to come, the second stage was horrendous in that they kept giving me unrealistic goals like find 10 different companies in my local area that I would want to work for, that is fine but I live in a small (ish) town where there is not a lot of businesses (I would want admin), so again that was not easy.
They promised to send me to seminars with regards to CV building etc but as soon as they read on my notes that owing to deafness, I find it difficult in a group atmosphere, I was sent on none, and no other provisions were given, this went on for 12 months.

To be fair the final stage has not been that bad, I think because I am one of the first lot (as it were) on the final stage, then they are still enthusiastic and 'almost' (I use the inverts wisely), treat you like human beings, the last 9 months have been fine, the job hunting is ok, as they basically leave me alone with regards to that, when I have tentativally asked with regards to CV seminars or handouts none were forthcoming just pointed to websites (by now was kinda expecting this so wasn't to surprised), and was pretty much left to my own devices (because I can use a computer and fairly articulate (I am a uni student so hardly thick (sorry didn't mean arrogance there), then they have pretty much left the job search alone, and it has just been 15 minutes of 'general chat' just to fill the obligation.

So all in all it has been a complete waste of time!

Hope I have not put you off too much, maybe (and hopefully) you will be fine and get the job that you seek.

One thing that will put a smile on your face though is apparently you can only go through this 'farce' once as according to some EU directive it is against Human Rights to go through it twice. I would have though the first time would have been, or as someone said to me "we are dolebludgers so exactly what rights do we have"!, she was of course a full time worker, but maybe she has a point

Sorry for the extremely long post but just need a rant