A4E to claimant: “get a job”
March 16th, 2009In what has to be the most ironic riposte to a picket ever, protesters against the Welfare Reform Bill were told by an employee of one of the forced-training “back to work” agencies to “get a job”.
Report of the protest here. More seriously, an insight into how this company A4E (offices on Lothian Rd.) treats its “clients” can be found in this disturbing first hand account of the group, described variously as “Poverty pimps” and “On a campaign to re-invent bonded labour”.
I was forced to go to A4e and told I would lose my benefits if I didn’t attend. I already had low self esteem because I hadn’t been working for the previous 6 months and had tried to get a job that would cover all of my bills. I had even voluntarily taken up typing courses and had got my level 3 qualifications in the hope that I could get a job that paid enough. I was also waiting to start voluntary work at citizen advice but I couldn’t start there because of attending A4e.
Things don’t seem to be any better at their Edinburgh office. Some of their clients told the protesters “it’s a fucking jail” where they are forced to spend the whole day (some for 12 weeks) searching for jobs that just aren’t there.
Worse, there’s the “Volunteer to Work” programme, where you go work for nothing for a month. No wages, you go sweep the fruit & veg aisles in Asda or you lose your benefit. After a month’s “trial”, the company can simply get someone else to work for free for the next month.
March 21st, 2009 at 3:44 pm
my madness ended 3 weeks ago i did a 13 week course with a4e it was the worst thing i have ever done, to say i was depressed for the 13 weeks is an understatment!. the course(so called) all i did for 13 weeks was sit in front of a computer no traning no work placement, my adviser a job center told me i was going there for training work placement to get my cscs card and fork lift truck license, i got none. job applications that we had sent to the office to be sent out were found 4 weeks later not sent out! that is just a bit of my madness at a4e what planet you on a4e made complaint to jcp got 3 page letter back
March 26th, 2009 at 10:36 am
I’m Currently doing the A4e ‘cource’ as part of the new deal partnership.
because of the economic downturn the place is so overcrowded that the classes every week swell up by 20 people.
I have been told by the placement guideness tutor/councellor that he can only do so much. & im not kidding when i say this you can see ALL of the staff are stressed out.
This doesnt help any of us on this scheme if the members of staff are so over worked that we are forgotten about.
You could honestly turn up at 09:30 & come back at 16:30 to sign out & no-one would bat an eyelid.
their motto at the Edinburgh branch, is help yourself to find a job. what if you havent had a job, or you need help in developing these skills? – They send you off on a work placement scheme which BTW you have to ask to go on or youre left there to do nothing for 13 weeks.
there are guy’s & doll’s there that are aged between 17 – 57 all with their own issues, some are lazy & cant be assed looking for a job & just are genuinally a nuisance we all know who they are, but the genuine people that need help are being hampered by these fools because theyre taking up all of the staff resources.
April 7th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
a4e edinburgh, complain to your job center put it in writing, get everyone to sign it, thats what we all did, a4e were none to happy, the bought all 30 of us fish and chips lol as if that would stop us, complain complain…http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/fivelive/5lr/5lr_20090405-1448a.mp3 donald mcintyre investigates a4e lol
July 15th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
watchinga4e website has been banned for defamatory comments apparently agaisnt a4e, Read telling the truth.
August 13th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
Iam currently on a 8 week A4e course, i am 24 and this is the first time i have been on new deal. and hopfully the last! i dont know about everyone else but do all the corses make you feel like a retard. They set us some work to do we had to build a boat then they took us down to our local park to sail them. Can someone please explain how this helps you find a job. LOL!!! but when it actualy comes to looking for a job they wont let us out to do it. How mixed up is that?
August 19th, 2009 at 3:27 am
Another farm out too the luvvies excercise. Hopefully when their Labour paymasters get the boot they can award them a directorship.
A bloody joke. Like romania, all smoke mirrors and bullshit.
August 21st, 2009 at 9:47 pm
A4e are in employment tribunal in hull, 6 october, all welcome. come and see how greedy they can be with public money and how they tramp on rights.