Just heard through an ex-colleague about TNG's ten day training courses for staff who will run Flexible New Deal. Apparently claimants who don't get a job in the first part of the provision will be able to be sanctioned (have their benefit removed) for up to twenty six weeks, is this what you've heard?
The inconvenient truth behind all this of course is that the real key to solving unemployment lies in real job creation, and in tackling the skills gaps which have been allowed to grow up in the areas where unemployment is high. Unfortunately real skills training costs real money, and the providers have to tender low to get the contracts. This has an impact not only on content but on staffing.
Claimants should be being supported by experienced, well trained people who have professional status, and are not living in fear of being next in line themselves. They should be able to liaise effectively with social services, health authorities, housing etc. This is crucial in order to provide a proper service which can address the real issues. Under the current Flexible New Deal proposals, the few people who actually were achieving results (whether working directly for Jobcentre Plus or for one of the existing providers) will have the ground cut from under them yet again, and the government will be handing over even more of the key functions of the welfare state to organisations who are profit driven.
The result of this will be that, surprise surprise, the vulnerable in society will be the losers again, forced to comply with increasingly strict regulations to keep the Daily Mail readers happy, made to take up "work placements" which save the employer money and help jog the numbers, and end up attending more and more “one size fits all” "keep 'em off the streets" courses. The idea of having to justify your existence to a private company in order to get even your basic human right (enough money to be able to eat) threatens the whole post-war settlement of the welfare state.
God, I needed to get that off my chest.
Posted 5 months ago # Copyright © 2009, Flexible
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