DWP EO Work Coach Training

Hi all,

Have finally passed pre employment checks and am now just waiting on a start date for the above role. Can anyone give me any idea what to expect during training(particularly first day/week)?

Is there any equipment/supplies I will need with me or is everything given on first day?

Thanks in advance ☺️

Reply 1

mikecold

I've been told to bring a backpack for the Chromebook they give you + headset I think. Passport/right to work document and your P45.
I've read that you do training on Microsoft Teams either at the office or from home.

Reply 2

stuomac88

Cheers for that… have you had a start date confirmed yet?

Reply 3

mikecold

Original post by stuomac88

Cheers for that… have you had a start date confirmed yet?

Yes I was given 15th Jan

Reply 4

stuomac88

Original post by mikecold

Yes I was given 15th Jan

That’s good, I’m just waiting on contract/formal offer to come through. What region are you?

Reply 5

Compyjo

Yes, you get a laptop and headset, perhaps a dongle for secure connection

You will also later get a name badge and lanyard, plus a swipe card to access the building.

I had training in the spring this year. WC training was all by Ms teams and you have to attend the office. I think a prerequisite course is digital skills.

It was in 2 blocks of some weeks broken up by periods where the trainee WC sat in with experienced WCs on their appointments.

As well as the WC training, you also have to complete general training like CS code of conduct, GDPR/cyber security, staying safe at work.

Reply 6

stuomac88

Thank you for the above. When you say pre requisite do you mean before starting the first day?

Reply 7

mikecold

Original post by stuomac88

Thank you for the above. When you say pre requisite do you mean before starting the first day?

No it's just the first session. It's the basics of MS Teams, Outlook and Edge. And some of the DWP Intranet stuff. I did mine yesterday and on Monday starts the proper UC training.

Reply 8

bobcat79

Hello,

Would you be able to give a further update on how you found it and what you did?

thanks

Reply 9

Compyjo

Although each JC will have a different demographic, in the main, Universal Credt claimants are those who are largely struggling to find employment or work few hours and cannot or do not want to increase their hours.

New JSA claimants, in contrast, are those with a minimum of 2 years recent employment experience. Its time limited to 6 months and they quickly sign off and move on. A WC will not need to have any involvement.

The training for a WC is about developing a coaching style to identify barriers to work and complex needs to draw up tailored commitments, a plan of work search related activities for each claimant, dealing with very low levels of engagement and compliance.

The admin for simple tasks are very burdensome for things like booking a person onto a job fair, arranging a bus ticket etc due to the high number of short back to back appointments.

WCs are blitzed with information by teams message, email, leaflets and short staff meetings. There are frequent policy changes and initiatives.

It is hard to develop good relationships with many customers because WCs are required to report them for sanctions for not turning up for appointments and other non compliance with UC regulations. This means there is a strong element of mistrust by some customers because the WC is associated with punishment and embodying a cruel government who is forcing them to move into employment or take up extra hours when they don't feel capable or motivated to do so.

Reply 10

Compyjo

My day was spent in back to back appointments with the majority of 10 mins duration only which gave me very little time to read through case notes or have a proper catch up.

WCs are only given 15 mins admin time so rely on customers not turning up for their appointments to catch up on emails/team messages, funding and referral forms and respond to journal messages from customers.

Caseloads vary from WC to WC and each JC will have a different demographic - mine was in an area with pockets in the top 5-20% of social deprivation and the majority of my customers spoke English as a second language with a large minority not speaking any English at all.

Some of those with low or no English could not read or write in any language. A lot of the women in this group had never worked and came from backgrounds where their primary role is home maker, mother, care giver and wife as their primary responsibilities.

WCs will take on either youth, mainstream age 25-49 or 50 plus age caseloads, plus may additionally be trained in self employed claimants.

The barriers to work, challenges and complex needs in my caseload were very high but it gives you an idea of the type of issues you will deal with to a higher or lesser degree. Many claimants have 1 or more needs or barriers.

Around 40% of my caseload reported health issues with approx 20% saying their medical conditions restricted them from either finding or taking up employment. A large minority of them had been found capable of work after a health assessment and were vehement that they could not work in either any capacity whatsoever or very limited roles and were not happy with the decision.

Around 5% of my caseload at least at a guess were homeless and living in temporary or supported housing so really needed to be properly housed as their first priority.

Some were newly released from prison, have criminal records, including very serious ones that required them to be monitored under multi-agency public protection arrangements.

Others had addictions, no work experience or qualifications or skills, low or no literary or numeracy, had no PC, internet, smart phone or digital skills, or did not have any access to digital resources.

There were many lone parents so they had limited child care.

Others were informal carers (meaning that they reported caring responsibilities but the person they cared for did not qualify for health/disability benefits) which meant the carer was required to find a job.

So you will be trained and expected to help move the customers closer to employment when many feel they are not able to or should not be required to either look or take up work.

If they are motivated to address their barriers (many are, by the way), many of them are required by UC rules to work 30 hours per week but want only to work part time.

Reply 11

Quady

Original post by stuomac88

Hi all,
Have finally passed pre employment checks and am now just waiting on a start date for the above role. Can anyone give me any idea what to expect during training(particularly first day/week)?
Is there any equipment/supplies I will need with me or is everything given on first day?
Thanks in advance ☺️

You'll need to pack a lunch such as a ham sandwich and packet of crisps or a cheese sandwich if you're vegetarian or a jam sandwich if you're vegan.

Reply 12

Compyjo

Original post by Quady

You'll need to pack a lunch such as a ham sandwich and packet of crisps or a cheese sandwich if you're vegetarian or a jam sandwich if you're vegan.

A sterling contribution to help prepare a new Work Coach in basic nutrition for 30 minutes of their working day.

Do you have anything constructive to assist with their remaining 7 hours according to your graduate management and leadership skills?

Reply 13

Quady

Original post by Compyjo

A sterling contribution to help prepare a new Work Coach in basic nutrition for 30 minutes of their working day.
Do you have anything constructive to assist with their remaining 7 hours according to your graduate management and leadership skills?

30mins? They'll need to learn they are only to work 7hrs 24mins, with the majority taken up by snacking or applying for other roles.

They'll need to upskill on looking after their box of pens and welcoming jobseekers with a freindly 'good morning'.

Signing up to PCS and getting aquinted with the Alpha pension calculators is high up the list before getting onto Yammer. Start by saying people in the same grade get paid £8k more and their departments pays expenses to get to work.

Perhaps move on to induction material and make up your own acrynomys like 'SSS' for 'Social Security Scotland'.

To round off the week start investigating some illnesses to fiend.

Quick Reply

Latest

Articles for you

What university is really like

Why would you study psychology at The University of Law?

What is an LLM and how could it benefit your career?

Powerful questions business students forget to ask their career advisers

DWP EO Work Coach Training

Quick Reply

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you