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Volunteering just as hard

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Wandering_Stranger
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07 May 2012, 1:09 pm

anewman wrote:
I was wondering if the Work Programme might be as bad as you suggest. Now I know not to go into it voluntarily.


I don't know of anyone who has had a good thing to say about the work programme. I was hoping that it would help me back into work, (which is the idea) but it hasn't.



Bloodheart
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07 May 2012, 1:49 pm

anewman wrote:
Bloodheart wrote:
A lot of people seem to have had better DEA's than me - I didn't have a DEA until 3 years into JSA and he was little more help than any other advisor, now I'm on the Work Program I don't get a DEA at all (which seems stupid - especially as the company providing the Work Program show no regard for disabled job seekers!).

My DEA is struggling to know what to do with me really. She is really nice and her heart is in the right place, but she has so few resources available to her. Her last suggestion was a residential course, which would cost the job centre lots of money - and to be honest I don't think it would do very much for me. The stumbling block, convincing an employer to take me on, would likely still be there. The other suggestion she had was the Work Programme, and she said but then I wouldn't be able to see her for a year. I was wondering if the Work Programme might be as bad as you suggest. Now I know not to go into it voluntarily.


There just isn't anything available, when I asked for more support I was send to Remploy who were not biased and seemed to understand disability to a point BUT they still had limited resources. If you have access to Remploy they may be worth a try, if nothing else it postpones being forced into Work Program and they're a little looser with the purse strings too so may be able to do something for you.

But yes avoid Work Program for as long as possible.


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howzat
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09 May 2012, 3:06 pm

I am finding voluntary work difficult to get as well but i registered to my local voluntary organisation on November 2011 they managed to get me some workshops however no permanent voluntary work. But i have now decided to register to another service and its call Autism to Autism this is a voluntary service by Resources For Autism and only helps people with Asperger's Syndrome to find voluntary work.



Bloodheart
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09 May 2012, 4:04 pm

I emailed a disabled charity a few days ago asking about voluntary positions, they replied asking me to phone them - when you inform them you can't use a phone you suddenly become an inconvenience to them - I emailed him back asking him to discuss anything he needed to discuss with me via email and this was his response;

Quote:
The starting point for most volunteers is to ask what they would like to do and what they hope to get out of the experience (what is their motivation for volunteering)....so perhaps yopu could give some thought to that and get back to me?


Anyone any suggestions for how I should answer?
Not sure exactly what voluntary jobs they have available - other than 'working with disabled people' and then explaining my motivation (work experience, something constructive to do, wanting to be more active in the disabled community, etc).


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