Being unemployed is depressing partly because it is so heavily stigmatised - it is the definition of worthless; to be unemployed. Nobody will pay for you = you are worthless

I don't think anyone else stigmatised me, I did. I stopped going out even through I had plenty of savings just couldnt face the world

JustSayNoToVorderman wrote:There's just too many people to possibly have full employment and governments should realize that before they pick on the unemployed. At the moment there's a ton of money being wasted on trying to force people into jobs that largely don't exist.
We could make a start by stopping giving billions to companies like A4E

+1

There's a company like that called "Working Links" I have been considering asking for advice from. I really don't need help with my CV though...I can't imagine how they could be of assistance and am fearful of my reaction if they merely patronise. These companies take saleries from the tax man , just like the banks of nominally employed clerical staff at the jobcentre, who are busy for about 30 minutes each day because there is no real work to be done. The budget would look a lot healthier if all the flabby civil serveant jobs that are surplus to requirement were put on benefits instead - if only there wasn't the negative stigma associated with the unemployment statistics.

Being unemployed and receiving basic food and shelter, from the accumulated wealth and prosperity of our advanced civilisation, should not be considered a failure in any respect. It should be considered to be the symptom of our success as a species that can feed and house all without breaking a sweat.

Most the back to work schemes cost a stupid amount of money to get a few individuals back to money but their main role is a deterent. Signing on is such a miserable experience along with all the crap you get with related organisations its a good incentive to get a job on your own

mrjonno wrote:Signing on is such a miserable experience along with all the crap you get with related organisations its a good incentive to get a job on your own

There aren't enough jobs to go around - it's not a question of being incentivised to seek work. Being on JSA is miserable because you can't hold your head up in society, all because there aren't the jobs to go round due to automation of production processes and international trade. The financial descrepency between the minimum wage and the dole is the official incentive to work and that should be the only incentive. You are parroting the views which stigmatise the unemployed as "requiring further incentives to work" ie being "unable to breach their personal laziness threshold".

mrjonno wrote:Most the back to work schemes cost a stupid amount of money to get a few individuals back to money but their main role is a deterent.

I doubt the back to work scheme administrators would agree with you that their schemes exist as a deterent. I've been on JSA for a long time and never "had to attend" such a scheme. Your imagination is running away with you on that count I think, mrjonno, back to work schemes really do try to get people into work and are not primarily designed to be unpleasant.

The past six and a half years I've only had 3 months of work (a 2 week job in 2004, a 6 week job in 2007 and a 4 week job in 2008) while the rest of that time I have been and still on JSA. Basically I have wasted 6 years of my life looking for work, the 'back to work schemes' are shit and makes the unemployed free labour for companies. Sure it's good for the CV but it's just taking the piss really even if you explain that these are just work placements as far as employers are concerned it is a 'job'. I have a shit load of rejection letters and have evidence on what jobs I have applied for, where I sent spec letters to etc to show those zombies at the jobcentre in case they accuse me of not looking for work. I think rather then punishing those who are on JSA the government (who ever it is) should make employers give people jobs of they have been on JSA for a long time.

Yet more Radio4 airtime given to the notion that it is the jobseeker's fault they are on JSA - blaming us for the budget deficit.

I wonder how many people are criminals/in prison because they hate being dole scum so much. Loads I bet.

OK so I have found a job. Minimum wage working on a vacuum (what a strangely spelt word) cleaner assembly line - 8 week contract. I start on tuesday.

Apparantly the company are importing workers from their plant in Malaysia for the project - I wonder if i'll be able to keep up with them.

Juliuseizure wrote:OK so I have found a job. Minimum wage working on a vacuum (what a strangely spelt word) cleaner assembly line - 8 week contract. I start on tuesday.

Apparantly the company are importing workers from their plant in Malaysia for the project - I wonder if i'll be able to keep up with them.

Good luck, to be honest it sounds like a shit job but the experience/contacts you gain there may help you get something better. I worked for Walkers Crisps once really was a vile job packing crisps in factory all day long it mainly taught me that I could better than this which is a lesson in itself