tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post2241930895510495152..comments2024-03-25T12:55:40.911+00:00Comments on Caron's Musings: Liberal Democrat MPs must veto compulsory community service for the unemployedAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-82710632953475439932010-11-12T15:30:56.089+00:002010-11-12T15:30:56.089+00:00What seems not to be being talked about is that so...What seems not to be being talked about is that some very similar stuff already happens - it's just not physical work based.<br /><br />A few years ago, I had a job running one of the jobclub/restart/whatever type courses for people who'd been signing on for 6 or 12 months, or who the benefits agency staff thought needed a bit of a shakeup. <br /><br />Every couple of weeks we'd have a new bunch of 15 people assigned to us. From 9 to 5 each day they sat in a room and we told them about looking smart for interviews, honing your CV etc. And then after a couple of weeks they returned to their normal doley lives.<br /><br />Typically 14 of the 15 would be from brickie type labouring backgrounds, and the recession of the time meant they weren't getting new work. Some had literacy issues, and few had qualifications to pad out a CV. Both sides grinned and bore it as we went through the hoops but most of it was completely irrelevant to any work they might be likely to get.<br /><br />The other one participant would often be a person who was sitting out time between e.g. finishing A-levels and going to uni in a flat jobs market, who might have benefited from a course with more people in a similar situation to them.<br /><br />I look at what's proposed, beyond the headline, and it looks like this will really be another option at that 12 month line - do this training, do this course, or do this manual work programme. And for a lot of the people I saw go through that course, this would fit them an awful lot better.Jennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-83677438403503208832010-11-07T21:00:12.827+00:002010-11-07T21:00:12.827+00:00If this scheme was genuine and was offered on a vo...If this scheme was genuine and was offered on a voluntarey basis then it could be helpful for unemployed people who want to work by giving them a bit of a toe in the door.<br /><br />But I think we have to be realistic about how poor the chances currently are for anyone trying to find a job.<br /><br />But I really have doubts that this is anything more than sabre-rattling to frighten those who have a job on-the-side into coming off benefits.<br /><br />I don't believe this coalition government really gives a stuff about the unemployed and wonder who is going to supervise and organise this army of conscripts.<br /><br />But if I'm right then it will be just penny-packets of people round the UK with the attendant fanfare of publicity as 'proof' that the scheme is working.<br /><br />I just wonder how long it will be till the return of the workhouse which my grandparents suffered along with the means test.<br /><br />What a brave new society the Libdems are building with their Tory pals - I'll stick with Jerusalem.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-23403847379742389732010-11-07T19:19:17.397+00:002010-11-07T19:19:17.397+00:00In the 1980s my late father spent some a period or...In the 1980s my late father spent some a period organising projects for the what was then the DSS for the long term unemployed. I can't remember what they were called but it was an adult version of the then Youth Unemplyment Scheme. It took men in their 40s and 50s who had not worked for several years and set them to work on a project for a few minths. These projects included jetty building, dry stone walling and rebuilding old drovers paths. They learnt some valuable skills, got into the habit of goinf to work and created useful community ammenities that you would never find the funding the pay to get done. I don't see a downside here. Nor do I see any reason why it could not be compulsory. We are talking (hopefully) about people who have been long-term unemployed (not people in your husbands position) who will clearly need a lot of help to get back into the workplace. It won't be suitable for everyone but it can be a useful tool and should not be dismissed as out of hand as this.Neil Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-77975671161277079032010-11-07T15:32:44.113+00:002010-11-07T15:32:44.113+00:00Glad you have picked up on this. I was so annoyed ...Glad you have picked up on this. I was so annoyed by the reports.<br /><br />If this was really about helping people get back into work it would be an option for people to volunteer for, not a punishment.<br /><br />Actually the system, as it currently stands <i>prevents</i> jobseekers from improving themselves. There is only a very limited amount of time for which you are allowed to do unpaid work during the week.<br /><br />When I was claiming JSA, I started doing a morning a week volunteering for a small charity. I then applied for an internship at the Church of Scotland, which was, all credit to them, excellent experience. BUT in order to do the internship, I had to stop volunteering at the Charity. I could only do the internship for one day a week - massively limiting the opportunities for development in that role.<br /><br />Had I wanted to do, say, three days a week, I would have either had to lie, or give up my benefits. I would have loved to do three weeks full time work to improve my job prospects. In the new system someone like me could want to do this, and be denied, but others will be forced to do it as a punishment.<br /><br />You can probably tell, but it makes me livid.Gryffnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-80289598807907899372010-11-07T13:51:41.192+00:002010-11-07T13:51:41.192+00:00I hope it's not true but have a suspicion that...I hope it's not true but have a suspicion that it is. It has elements of Community Service but it is also vaguely similar to slave labour. I am finding it diffcult to stay with the Party at the moment this would make it impossible.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11452915965331911419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-64078383668011172792010-11-07T12:49:41.655+00:002010-11-07T12:49:41.655+00:00*applause*
I knew you'd come out on the side ...*applause*<br /><br />I knew you'd come out on the side of the angels here.<br /><br />Now where are the other LibDems speaking against IDS's appalling community service scheme for people whose only "crime" is to be unemployed? From there it's but a short step to Serco-administered workhouses. If the majority go along with this, I cannot stay in the party any longer; there's no way I can continue to work with collaborators.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-52240935995669312962010-11-07T12:21:33.212+00:002010-11-07T12:21:33.212+00:00Flippin' eck, KK, it's been a long time si...Flippin' eck, KK, it's been a long time since I said something that's pleased you. That's made my day:-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-62743415821915996102010-11-07T12:20:02.180+00:002010-11-07T12:20:02.180+00:00Anon, I don't see how sending someone to do a ...Anon, I don't see how sending someone to do a month's manual work because some bureaucrat makes a decision that they're not trying hard enough to get a job is actually going to improve their long term employment prospects.<br /><br />In fact, could having been part of that programme not create a stigma which puts off a potential employer?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04988201531739344840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-2657681608055966362010-11-07T12:19:57.015+00:002010-11-07T12:19:57.015+00:00A great post that says what has to be said. Howev...A great post that says what has to be said. However I am not bating my breath waiting for a backbench rebellion.<br /><br />"Later [Norman Lamb] is asked why he accepts Andrew Lansley's bolt-from-the-blue health reforms – a shock to all since they were not in the coalition agreement, and the coalition agreement in fact stipulates no top-down reforms. "Inevitably there are compromises," the former health spokesman says." http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2010/sep/19/lib-dem-conference-labour<br /><br />If they can compromise on that they can compromise on anything.KelvinKidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01118042006400401585noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-67532344755146151882010-11-07T11:54:53.148+00:002010-11-07T11:54:53.148+00:00As you said, let's wait and see. But I expect ...As you said, let's wait and see. But I expect (well, certainly hope) that anything like this would be for a very small number of people where it is felt that it could help them get a job in the future. If it was a blanket thing for the long-term unemployed I hope the Lib Dems would block it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34128264.post-10460024219847153772010-11-07T11:42:43.767+00:002010-11-07T11:42:43.767+00:00A very thoughtful post - and you have hit the nail...A very thoughtful post - and you have hit the nail on the head. For the vast majority of the unemployed, this scheme will do nothing to help them get back into work. If anything, it will hit their self-esteem even further - effectively being treated as a criminal.<br /><br />What is needed is a structured and personalised way of getting back to work, but also there needs to be the jobs. Currently there are approximately 300,000 job vacancies which the 2.5 million JSA claimants are chasing. And thats before we start on the people who will loose their jobs in the public and private sectors from the Government cut backs.John Ruddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02956683809953212369noreply@blogger.com