andygardener Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 How does it all work? Well, so far the comments on this thread have just about summed A4e up (especially binster post #3). But don't worry, this thread will probably get 'pulled' (like most of the others about A4e) or, at least hijacked by the 'feckless', 'unemployed', 'don't want work' brigade). As most people are aware, the Job Centres are failing organisations. Like huge organisations everywhere, they have attracted a core of useless staff who have been able to shelter under the very umbrella of being large in size, and therefore providing many corners where incompetent people can hide. (Think NHS, Royal Mail, Local Authorities etc.) The JC's time as being merely a place where people come in, sign and leave is over. The new Government has decided to be seen to be 'doing something' and therefore want everybody to be in employment. The fact that jobs simply don't exist any more seems to have eluded them. Avariscious companies such as A4e, Remploy, WiseAbility, Shaw Trust etc. (and others who will, no doubt, spring up) have been entrusted by the powers-that-be to largely take over what was once perceived as the Job Centres' role of guidance, steering towards suitable employment etc. Under orders, the JC staff now (sometimes gleefully) mandate 'long-term (about 6 months) unemployed' towards these 'external providers'. This silent coup is almost complete. The Job Centre and A4e stationary now display each others logos. The mandatory attendance to these providers' courses - without regard to peoples ages, qualifications, prior knowledge, work histories etc. - is underpinned by the threat of complete withdrawal of people's benefits for non-compliance. So far, so reasonable. This country, thanks mostly to Governments incompetence over many years, has a huge and growing problem with unemployment, training etc. But here's where the wheels come off... The stories about A4e are legion. Untrained and bullying staff on poor wages with absolutely no qualifications are entrusted to change attitudes, perceptions and so forth for their client base. Of course, they are not capable of doing this and the whole process becomes one of effective incarceration with an absolutely disproportionate amount of time being spent on the production of their Holy Grail - the CV. This can be spun out for weeks. After all, show 20 people a CV and you'll get 20 different opinions as to how they should be laid out. Having wasted around a month of the (yet to be confirmed) 12 months on Flexible New Deal, how is the other 11 months going to be spent? Training? Of course not! As stated, A4e (and the rest) do not employ one single, qualified trainer worth the name. Instead, they are a disparate bunch who, when you get to hear their work histories, have never held what could be called a 'proper' job but - for the £16k - £18k a year they earn - are more than willing to display their superiority over their clients. No, instead the rest of the sentence (and there is no other word for it) is spent time-filling, laughable 'team-building' exercises and looking at out-of-date newspapers, websites etc. to 'prove' that x-amount of jobs have been applied for. How many? Well, let's start at 3 a week. This number goes up every week with the absolutely inevitable result of people going through the motions and applying for positions for which they have no qualifications, prior knowledge, experience or interest. Simply wasting everybodys time and giving A4e - and the rest - a shocking reputation where only thoroughly venal employess such as Poundland would touch their clients with a bargepole. A previous poster asked why this £14k 'finders fee' doesn't go towards a putative employer to subsidise wages. Fat chance! No, A4e prefer to waste £30k on a fully-refurbished VW Camper (in the foyer at Queen Street). This grandiose act of folly no doubt impresses visiting dignitaries such as David Blunkett (also paid £30k a year by A4e) to ensure contracts are thrown in A4e's direction. I'm afraid nothing will change. Not as long as ludicrous figures such as Hayley Taylor (ex-A4e) are given the opportunity to spout off on rubbish such as C4's 'The Fairy Jobmother'. Not as long as the Government (off all colours) continue to lie about unemployment being 'around two-and-a-half million'. And not as long as JC staff refuse to 'grow a pair' (© J. Kyle) and realise that they are, lemming-like, hastening their own demise. (although the though of bullying JC staff reporting for their first day at A4e does fill me with delicious Schadenfreude!) Good luck to anybody in, or about to be in, unemployment. You'll need it. We need a like button on here. Brilliant post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wise monkey Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 We need a like button on here. Brilliant post. Absolutely. Bravo, my friend. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ricgem2002 Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 i wonder how many sheffield forum members actually work for a4e and their reluctance to post on this thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0742Sheff Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 We need a like button on here. Brilliant post. I agree. Excellent post Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peewee84 Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Cant believe how much money she has made from getting disabled & unemployed back into work. any anyone who has come across her company knows its a terrible place to go to. and the bad news is they have won the "Work Programme" in many locations so she is going to double her personal wealth. why dont the DWP just use the provision which is free to them - Remploy. Rather than using a private money making company like A4e, because dont forget its the tax payers money they are spending. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1554186/Businesswomen-taking-over-millionaires-club.html I've never heard of this company so I can't really contribute to the discussion, however looking at this picture it's true what they say........money can't buy you style........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DenadaInnit Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I agree. Excellent post Me too. Excellent. Forward to the person who commissioned A4E and see if there is any response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aspie Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Post #30 is the most accurate description of A4E and it is a shame that the people who legislate and award the windfalls to A4E and their like won't acknowledge it. A short while ago I was unfortunately moved onto JSA after my son reached 11 and my single parent status no longer entitled me to Income Support. Because I have severe psych issues the DWP didn't like me phoning every week so they told me to just not claim Incapacity Benefit and make use of the single parent status (my child is a product of a rape that happened when I was in residential respite, my child and myself are cared for by my parents) when the law changed, my income support stopped, I was put onto JSA and then sent to A4E. I didn't attend my first course, my benefits were sanctioned, so I attended the second. I had to be heavily medicated to attend but I was scared of being sanctioned again so I went. I have severe aspergers and I find it impossible to tell the small 'necessary' lies that are needed, i.e. if someone asks me if I can be a brain surgeon I would say yes, as I think I could if they asked AM I a surgeon I would say no. So when I attended the course I took along a letter explaining this and my Dad came inside with me to tell the staff. They told me they didn't take medical certificates (it wasn't) and that I should just try my best. So I did. Because I also have paranoid schizophrenia (PS and Aspergers are not mutually exclusive as some think, it depends on the presentation of symptoms and the timeline relating to puberty) my medication fluctuated and when the advisor realised that I could focus better later in the day I explained that my meds wore off and it made me more lucid. I did explain that the voices come back too but she told me to skip meds the next day which I did. To cut this shorter I ended up having a breakdown after being bullied into doing the course and was given terrible advice by the staff. They have no training and no real interest in anyone's wellbeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Chaos Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Yeah. Surely nothing at all to do with the night walks, orienteering, abseiling, caving, weaseling, adventure talks or adventure walks No it was the chance to meet Darth Vader Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Star Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Cant believe how much money she has made from getting disabled & unemployed back into work. any anyone who has come across her company knows its a terrible place to go to. and the bad news is they have won the "Work Programme" in many locations so she is going to double her personal wealth. why dont the DWP just use the provision which is free to them - Remploy. Rather than using a private money making company like A4e, because dont forget its the tax payers money they are spending. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1554186/Businesswomen-taking-over-millionaires-club.html Remploys website states pretty clearly that they will recieve £111 million over the next five years to fund their work programme... You have to consider that they also '2nd tier' to at least one other provider directly, last time they used Wise Ability as their main 2nd... They pay them out at the same rate at A4e are paid out - back weighted, meaning that you only get paid out on someone being in a job for longer than 13 weeks! So, that means that the likes of A4e, CTS, Best, Wise et al could feasibly work with many many clients who are impossible to find work for and recieve nothing whatsoever... What's more, they will be working with these people regularly! Trust me, I work with kids who hopefully won't ever end up on a work programmes, but who come from work shy families... They put up such a fuss re taking a job! I doubt you know the true ins and outs when it comes to working with challenging people who just don't want a job - give all these companies and their staff a break... If I had the nous to go out there and snatch a government contract and still manage to make money on a back weighted loss leader, I'd be a happy bunny, wouldn't you if you could??? No point being arsey about someone who is simply using their wits, jealousy is a negative feeling... Also little to no point whatsoever in going on about one person, when there are loads and loads of companies involved with the work programme, not just Remploy and their 2nd and even 3rd tier... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Star Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 I have heard about this company from an associate who works for them they told me about the wastage of fruit and milk that is thrown out everydat,apparantly they cant estimate how many pints of milk they need or how much fruit they need so they order big quantities and most of it gets thrown in the bin,its a disgrace thats our money going to waste,and Im not just talking about 1 four pinta I am talking about 8-10 four pintas now someones not doing there job properly are they,maybe they should give the job to one of the unemployed people I am sure they will do a lot better job. Mmm... Never visit Queens on a Friday - there will def not be a pint of milk in the building! Sometimes I get arsey and make em buy milk for when I have meetings with them Your source may be fibbing to you a little bit:o My visits to CTS and Best have always resulted in a milky coffee any day of the week Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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