Had my first Pathways to work interview..

happy_feet

It wasnt as bad as I expected, the lady was very nice, but they have to be dont they and Im always wary because of the targets they have and who they work for. I could tell some of what she said was lines she used for everyone she was quite robotic, but she was very nice.
Shes given me another appointment for next month, she let me choose the time and gave me some leaflets, one of them was about pain management meetings you can have when youre trying to get back into work-although I dont see how it will help unless they have a secret wand to wave.
I was only in there for ten minutes, and she kept saying we will go over the plans and steps we will take so I can work when Im feeling better. No pressure at all-but that might yet be to come...If Im not "Feeling better" :?

valval

hi wendy you never know with this type of person if they start pressuring you make sure you get there name then you can sue them if you get worse because of there actions will make them think twice you can ask for a buisness card in the nicest way if they start putting pressure on you

countessheather

Hi Wendy and Vaval. I was told that I would have 5 monthly meetings and that there would be no pressure if I could not attend through illness -like you Wendy, I dont have good days anymore. Yes they are `robotic' but got the impression that privately the person I saw did'nt agree with this policy of `wheeling out ' the disabled. I think that its just a `sprat to catch a mackerel' - all governments have to be seen to be doing something! But, the problem comes when govenments talk of cutting DLA and making it `means tested' which is vile! And what about the 800,000 who are on jobseeks and have been for years and have never had a job? I say target them, the healthy single mothers and lay-about fathers who are on the preriffery of the `family' that they helped create. But again, there are NO JOBS in these sink estates which have sunken to an all time low so as Tesco now bans single mums from shopping in thier nightwear because they `can't be boffered' to get dressed. pto,

countessheather

where my mother lives in Witney, twice a week `2 sisters ' walk together to Waitrose to get thier shopping which they carry back in the whole long way in carrier bags past our window. She knows who they are and they still live with thier parents. They must be now in their late 30's early 40's and THEY HAVE NEVER DONE A DAYS WORK IN THIER LIFE ! and whats more, THEY HAVE NEVER BEEN TARGETED IN THE LAST 20 ODD YEARS THEY HAVE BEEN CLAIMING! They are very spritly and healthy - send them out FIRST! Its not as if they are careing for disabled and elderly parents because they also `walk past mums ' like greyhounds! H xx

happy_feet

Whats a sink estate? Council housing estates? I live in a council house and my sister has often nipped into Tesco in her Jarmies in the car at 2 am but we arent down and outs or anything :?

markc1

countessheather wrote:

Hi Wendy and Vaval. I was told that I would have 5 monthly meetings and that there would be no pressure if I could not attend through illness -like you Wendy, I dont have good days anymore. Yes they are `robotic' but got the impression that privately the person I saw did'nt agree with this policy of `wheeling out ' the disabled. I think that its just a `sprat to catch a mackerel' - all governments have to be seen to be doing something! But, the problem comes when govenments talk of cutting DLA and making it `means tested' which is vile! And what about the 800,000 who are on jobseeks and have been for years and have never had a job? I say target them, the healthy single mothers and lay-about fathers who are on the preriffery of the `family' that they helped create. But again, there are NO JOBS in these sink estates which have sunken to an all time low so as Tesco now bans single mums from shopping in thier nightwear because they `can't be boffered' to get dressed. pto,

Go easy here......the goverment is partly to blame for this situation,you notice that when it needs to it can find billions for 'emergencies' overseas but can't help people at home.
Your entitled to your views but a lot of people live on scraps handed out due to a real desperation not because they want to.£64.50 a week doesn't go far believe me!
:roll:

countessheather

Wendy a `sink estate' is where there at least 3 Tower Hamlets and `1' sink to share between them I suppose - trying to be ironic guys - dont be fooled mark and wendy by the banter ( I know more than I let on) - there is nothing wrong with council housing except when the buggers fail to do repairs and make people live like rats in housing such as Tower Hamlets that were never designed to be a long-term option when they were put up in the 1960's. And Mark, I FULLY BLAME THE GOVERNMENT for this mess! I'm from humble beginings too (well we all have to start somewhere right) and I totally agree that the amount of money that people have been expected to live on has NEVER been acceptable. Its damn hard to survive and make choices based on whether to eat this week or have the heating on. And don't get me started on `having to pay for university education' when not one of the MP's has ever paid themsleves in ANY of the parties and would'nt be here today if they had had too!They have lived charmed lives. H xxx :x

countessheather

Oh and Wendy going out in `jarmies' at 2am when only the night shift will know is fine as nobody else such as small children and animals will know- its NOT in broad daylight :oops: on a daily basis because `can't be arsed' to get dressed this week or any other. :roll: or for no logical reason such as `depression'. :shock:
Its not that long ago when people would be locked up by men in white coats and little vans for displaying (amongst other things )`irrational' behaviour :shock: that replicated this and the police could still make an arrest and section under the mental health acts.
Sorry Wendy but your too switched on for all of that. ON the other hand, you all know that I'm BARKING so ide better run for the hills and take cover.....

markc1

countessheather wrote:

Wendy a `sink estate' is where there at least 3 Tower Hamlets and `1' sink to share between them I suppose - trying to be ironic guys - dont be fooled mark and wendy by the banter ( I know more than I let on) - there is nothing wrong with council housing except when the buggers fail to do repairs and make people live like rats in housing such as Tower Hamlets that were never designed to be a long-term option when they were put up in the 1960's. And Mark, I FULLY BLAME THE GOVERNMENT for this mess! I'm from humble beginings too (well we all have to start somewhere right) and I totally agree that the amount of money that people have been expected to live on has NEVER been acceptable. Its damn hard to survive and make choices based on whether to eat this week or have the heating on. And don't get me started on `having to pay for university education' when not one of the MP's has ever paid themsleves in ANY of the parties and would'nt be here today if they had had too!They have lived charmed lives. H xxx :x

Lets forget it......i was in a foul mood all day yesterday!

countessheather

Boys, I can't see that DLA would be controlled by social services - we are dealing at current with one (there have been many) governments who could'nt organise a `piss-up in a brewery'. Look a t the facts. Social Serivices are incompitant on a good day -too many chiefs and not enough indians. If they cant respond to repeated crys for `HELP' by concerned neighbours for elderly couples who can not cope and then 6 months later are found dead in their home or miss countless opertunaties to intervien in cases such as `Baby Peter' ???- there are just not enough ground workers to go around because they are soo PC and up themselves that they have made this a form of `club' that is taken to a level that is beyond rediculouse - it takes years to qualify in universaties without the financial help so people who shoulld like us who have a daily knowledge of `real life' cant break the `glass ceiling' of lack of proper training opertunaties leading to proper careers verses living in a carboard box! Yes raising the basic level of wages to a reasonalbe living rate that is in line with thr cost of living, charging people for `real employment help' that isnt run by `Trumpton' wallies? Wendy I belive had the `professional' approach by another independant agency and did'nt think much of the `bar-work' options? And neither did I for her! :x

countessheather

But I belive that there is a real lack of even naff jobs now as people like us who have been pushed towards dead-end mindless employment are in real competion with the younger generations who have been to univiersity and got thier Degrees and MA's and thier tens of thousands of debt to prove this - they are faster, keaner, leaner running machines. Anyone read the artical by Andrew Hankinson BSC,in the Observer at the weekend entitiled The Lost Generation?"Baby boomers took all the good jobs, the free education and the cheap housing, and left their kids with nothing but the credit crunch and the bill for their pensions.Thanks very much!"??

happy_feet

countessheather wrote:

Oh and Wendy going out in `jarmies' at 2am when only the night shift will know is fine as nobody else such as small children and animals will know- its NOT in broad daylight :oops: on a daily basis because `can't be arsed' to get dressed this week or any other. :roll: or for no logical reason such as `depression'. :shock:
Its not that long ago when people would be locked up by men in white coats and little vans for displaying (amongst other things )`irrational' behaviour :shock: that replicated this and the police could still make an arrest and section under the mental health acts.
Sorry Wendy but your too switched on for all of that. ON the other hand, you all know that I'm BARKING so ide better run for the hills and take cover.....

Haha, no she doesnt go in the middle of the day, shes just done it at night, shoved a long coat over her jarmies and jumped in the car when shes needed something. I have heard of girls doing their shopping in their PJs, Id feel embarrassed myself its not something I could do.

countessheather

Wendy you catch my point now? Its nothing to do with `where we live and come from, C****t (this has been edited in accordance with AC's terms and conditions. Mod ECM) we live in a `meritocrisy' and have done since the 1970's. Its about the changing values or lack of them in society as a whole. I don't know anybody who hasnt been in the postion of `emergancy' in the middel of the night - run out of whatever or need something like paracetamol who has not resorted to `a jim jam bun run'. And its not about `anyone being better than anyone else clap-trap' its about instilling some core common values in` some of the youngest generation 'that can see no hope out of a `slouth mentality', because they lack disceplin,oppertunities, nobody beliveds in them and they don't belive in themselfs'. So their answer is to effectivly `stick two fingers up' and can we realy blame them?