You sir, are an idiot. Let me testify as to why.I finished my teaching postgraduate stuff in July (effectively) but began applying for work long before. Now, I had already decided I did not want to follow the teaching career, but to aim for youth work (not as simple a transition in terms of qualifications as you might imagine) and to also fall back a bit on my original undergraduate stuff - filmmaking. Wary of how this could cost me in the work place, I therefore actively started looking around more or less from the start of the year, having my first interview at Easter.
I have now been claiming Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) for five months. I don't claim Housing or any other benefits (though I really should as it's a constant struggle for rent and other overheads.) You reckon that this means I'm not trying hard enough to get back to work. I've been accused of this before, but I take particularly offence this time because this is from a guy who was born in the City of London, whose summer job was working for Tony Blair, and who has almost certainly never needed for anything in his entire life.
I have found myself in a middle-class trap, illustrated by feedback I have received. I'm told I'm too overqualified to work for a minimum wage post (having applied for shopwork, B&Q, a pizza parlour, etc.) because it's obvious I'll leave at the drop of a hat; which would be fine, but I keep getting all these interviews for 'proper' jobs, but no end product.
Oh but don't the Job Centre give me help? Ha. I go in, I hand in my form recording my weekly efforts (which I could write more or less anything on) someone grunts at me and hands me something to sign. That's it. That's all you need to do to get free money in this country. Actually that's not strictly true - my last review interview in Belfast was conducted by a thoroughly lovely young woman who actually took an interest. I nearly died of shock. Someone should make her a manager.
How much? Sorry, yes. £47.50. Ever tried living on less that £50 a week? Try it sometime.
I don't tell my sob story for pity - it's my hole, and I'll get out of it eventually. But please James, bear in mind that for every few wasters, fraudsters and liars that hang around sitting on their tod all day, there's a rapidly-growing group of young and old professionals who struggle from week to week, and your system has completely failed them. The problem isn't us, it's you. Or rather, the people who work for you. If you're going to "help", then actually be of some assistance and justify your existence. Otherwise, just sign off the damn form and let me get back to my extra-value cheese.
2 comments:
So what you're saying is that people shouldn't have to contribute to society (if that's possible, i.e. not if you have a disability, a child under 1 etc.) for their benefits?
Why not do some community service to "earn" your benefits when you are out of work? Why not contribute to your community, while those in work contribute to the economy?
And why not claim housing? If you're entitled, you're entitled. Take it. The problem is not those who are entitled, but those who abuse the system. I claimed JSA and housing when I graduated, now I'm in work. That's the way it goes. And sometimes people have to take jobs to pay the bills, even when it's not your chosen profession, you've done at least your fair share of part time work Pierre, so you know that as much as anyone.
And I'm sure this is not you, but I find it hard to credit most people when they say they're struggling to make ends meet. It is often a result of poor money management, of needless spending. People who can't make ends meet often find the cash to go out for a drink, keep a car on the road, or buy lots of guitar equipment. It's all about priorities.
This is only the majority I talk about. There are those in our society who can't make ends meet. Who don't have a car, and aren't buying a Wii this Christmas. I'm not close enough to these people to realise my own selfishness sometimes. I'm not close enough because I've surrounded myself with middle-class white people, and that's my fault.
So Pete, if you haven't been able to buy oil, or pheonix have cut u off, we have a spare room, you know where we are.
Much love.
A good old Dave mixture of love, wisdom, and antagonism...
What it boils down to, for me, is that I always feel when I read these kinds of stories that the unemployed are stereotyped as, you know, lazy-ass working class. Which might not be completely unfair in some cases, but I feel very uncomfortable being put into that box. People generally assume that I'm still out of work because I'm not trying the right things or hard enough, and will often try to offer advice to this end. It's true, I have not yet signed with a job agency and no, I have not emptied bins. But my biggest problem is I'm too good not to interview but not the best to employ.
But daaaaaamn, am I well practiced at interviews!
As for " People who can't make ends meet often find the cash to go out for a drink, keep a car on the road, or buy lots of guitar equipment."
Well, I am a victim of one of those: my car is fully stocked up and just through the MOT, but I can't really afford to fuel it. But I've managed to buy nothing other than spare strings in the last few months! As for the drink... it's good to live with lots of high-earners.
Thanks for the analysis. Hope to see you two soon, with some video-shaped goodness.
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