2nd interview with a wlefare officer in 4 weeks!

FreedomJoe

Opps spelt Welfare wrong!

No edit option!

I am now classed as long term unemployed.

I have been on the dole for around 18 months.

I attended a interview with a welfare officer 4 weeks ago to see what education programmes I could do.

I think she actually thought I have been sat on my arse doing nothing for the last 18 months.

So at the interview I explain to her that I tried getting into NUIG as a mature student on a access course.

I also applied with the CAO, but never even got a response.

She asks how did I get on.

I explained to her that I was turned down.

She asked why?

I told her the same reasons I was given.

I was too over qualified.

She laughed and said that couldnt be!

I said it was.

She asked about FAS courses.

I explained to her that all the courses were unsuitable in my area.

She said surely not all.

I explained to her that many of the FAS courses were simply useless in my area.

I had no plans or ideas to start my own business.

I am more than able to turn on a computer and use Word 97.

I do not wish to be a welder, nor a curb layer when these proffesions are loosing people everyday and being undercut by foreign nationals.

She was lost for words and had no ideas to offer me.

I explained to her how my wife tried to get into nursing, passed all the interviews and exams but didnt score enough points to be offered a place.

The welfare officer looked puzzled as asked why didnt she apply directly through GMIT, where she would get into nursing directly.

I explained to her you couldnt do this, and that all nursing applications had to be done through the nursing board.

She said I WAS WRONG!:eek:

I told her she was wrong, and she was more than welcome to check the facts for herself, which she said she would!

4 weeks later she has now called me in again to see what I have done to try and get into NUIG again.

This time she has called in my wife along with me to see what we have both been doing!

But if she actually read my files she would realise that my wife is a full time carer for my sick child and cant actually seek full time work or education!

How thick can she be!

I have already told her that I have been turned down previous.

And I have missed the enrolment for this year anyhow as CAO applications were due by Feb 2009.

Its no wonder this country is in such a mess when the state employs thick stupid people to help the unemployed get back into work/education.

Sorry about the rant, but im shocked at the standards of our welfare officers who seem to know nothing about the job they are doing.

I would gladly go into education that is suitable and offers me a chance of work or take a job, but it appears that welfare officers have no idea of what is actually going on.

Just got my letter in the post for tommorow morning. Some notice hey! But I guess that all us unemployed folk have nothing better to do that attend on short notice stupid interviews that offer us nothing!

IT Loser

Do you have a primary degree??

Sephiroth_dude

Did they cut your money or anything?let us know how you get on.

yourmano

Sounds like you're in a bit of a pickle alright. I might be able to help on the NUIG side of things, not giving too much away on this but know my stuff.

IT Loser

In fairness, and maybe this is none of my business friend, but 18 months on the dole is a fair auld chunk of time. If I was you, I would be trying to get off it. Life is too short to be answering to people in an office who quiz you on this, and quiz you on that, and the other, and who cast aspersions on your status as a jobseeker. Hope something pans out for you in the education thing. I will be applying for the BTEA so I can do a Diploma in Employment Law, in 4 months, if the Welfare regard it as an accredited course of study and if I can afford the humongous fees.

FreedomJoe

IT Loser wrote: »

In fairness, and maybe this is none of my business friend, but 18 months on the dole is a fair auld chunk of time. If I was you, I would be trying to get off it. Life is too short to be answering to people in an office who quiz you on this, and quiz you on that, and the other, and who cast aspersions on your status as a jobseeker. Hope something pans out for you in the education thing. I will be applying for the BTEA so I can do a Diploma in Employment Law, in 4 months, if the Welfare regard it as an accredited course of study and if I can afford the humongous fees.

Trust me I have been trying!

There is nothing out there.

And when something does turn up, you either dont get an interview or dont get the job.

I have been told im too educated for a mature access course, too educated to do a fas employment course, underqualified to do a uni course thorugh the CAO, not experienced enough to do an Assistant Managers job at xtravision, despite many years of being a Retail Manager with Dunnes, and to top it all off I couldnt even get a 20hr per week job at my local Garage. That job went to a Pole!

Add to this, I have to attend pointless welfare interviews, and tell the welfare officers how the system works!

At the last interview I told the welfare officer how the Access Course person boasted about how they offered a course placement to a 80 year old.

I said to the welfare officer that this was a waste of resources, when someone like me could have taken the placement.

She insisted that this wasnt a waste, and it was discrimination to state that 80 year olds couldnt take placements.

I resonded that with that attitude the country will never get out of the mess its in, Leaving people of working age on the dole, so pensioners can attend University.

I said the government should be investing in Uni and college places to retrain and educate people to new employment positions.

She just stared back at me, and asked had I considered a Fas course

I wont take any crap tommorow, after all its not like that can stop my benefits or reduce them. (Supplementary Welfare Allowance)

IT Loser

I never even went down the SWA route, I just went straight into the Dole Office, and applied for JSA.

Now I am being told {on Boards, not officially} that they may refuse my claim {or there may be some hitch} thanks to them {the Welfare} wondering about how I got by for "so long" with no income.

Well, you see, its ironic that a guy forges his own way, by incurring debt, or relying on the benevolences of others, and have that taken as proof, by the welfare, that there might me something amiss.

So I am going into the SWA this very Wednesday AM.

Apparently, pride gets you nowhere. SWA it is for me.

Have you been receiving SWA for 18months?

Xiney

IT Loser wrote: »

In fairness, and maybe this is none of my business friend, but 18 months on the dole is a fair auld chunk of time. If I was you, I would be trying to get off it. Life is too short to be answering to people in an office who quiz you on this, and quiz you on that, and the other, and who cast aspersions on your status as a jobseeker. Hope something pans out for you in the education thing. I will be applying for the BTEA so I can do a Diploma in Employment Law, in 4 months, if the Welfare regard it as an accredited course of study and if I can afford the humongous fees.

IT Loser, you've been unemployed for longer than 18 months if I recall correctly.

So just because you're living at home and didn't have as many bills to pay as the op and may not have needed the dole the whole time you were unemployed doesn't mean you get to judge.

microgirl

FreedomJoe wrote: »

I have been told im ..... underqualified to do a uni course thorugh the CAO,

Sorry if I'm being a bit slow here, or possibly it's just things have changed in the decade+ since I was in college, but I'm a bit confused about this. How are you too underqualified to do a uni course through the CAO? Can mature students not apply through CAO too? Mature students don't need the LC points that regular students do.

Oh hang on, I think my brain has engaged - mature students normally enter via a different route than regular students, isn't that it? But if you apply via CAO you have to have the LC points. Right. I get it.

That really is rather crappy I'd still say apply every year for UCG and GMIT as a mature student, but that's, well, every year, and by definition leaves a long time waiting.

I have no useful advice to offer at all

IT Loser

Xiney wrote: »

IT Loser, you've been unemployed for longer than 18 months if I recall correctly.

So just because you're living at home and didn't have as many bills to pay as the op and may not have needed the dole the whole time you were unemployed doesn't mean you get to judge.

I judged nobody. How dare you tell me what I did or did not "need money" for. You dont know anything of my travails or labours. I incurred debt rather than claim. Not saying thats the smart thing to do, but it was my thing, and its costing me to this day. Thats my "need". I have been at home for the last 12 months. 18-12= 6. You do the maths.

I have always worked. I just did not require money or demand a fee. Technically, this makes me unemployed. In fact, even worse, like the OP, I fear I may be unemployable. Guess what...thats my tough.

I was empathising with, not criticising, the OP. 18 months is a long time to have people poring over ones affairs, making suggestions that dont fit. I think you will find the OP themselves says this. The Welfare people can be damned unhelpful at times, as the OP notes. I never judged the OP. Never.

As I was saying, 18months is a long time to be in the welfare loop, when its not where you want to be

I may be unemployed more than 18 months, but I have not been in the welfare loop for that period That is a fate I would not wish on anyone. Ever. Again, just where you think I said something harsh to or about the OP is beyond me.


Finally, you yourself would do well to read and digest the post, before doing some "judging" of your own. Dont be such a kneejerk enforcer. This is not the first time you have snooted off at me- but it is the last.

Xiney

IT Loser, you seem to think "not being in the welfare loop" is something to be proud of when in reality (as you've said) it's nothing but a really good way to get into debt.

The OP has been unemployed for 18 months and has stayed on Jobseeker's payments. You've been unemployed for longer than 18 months and the fact that you weren't on Jobseeker's payments for the whole time does not give you the right to say things like:

"18 months on the dole is a fair auld chunk of time. If I was you, I would be trying to get off it."

Are you suggesting that the OP does like you and moves home and takes out loans, getting into debt like you have? Because if not, you're suggesting that the OP just gets a job, and as you yourself haven't managed to do so in a longer time, then that is quite hypocritical.



Ireland is a country that supposedly takes care of its unemployed. It's a recession - The vast majority of people on Jobseeker's payments are genuine and there is no shame in accepting help when you need it if that help is available. What you call "snooting off" is actually me being exasperated at your constant protestations of how you'd "stayed out of the welfare loop" or some such nonsense. For what? Now you're in debt. You didn't need to be.

IT Loser

Xiney wrote: »

IT Loser, you seem to think "not being in the welfare loop" is something to be proud of when in reality (as you've said) it's nothing but a really good way to get into debt.

The OP has been unemployed for 18 months and has stayed on Jobseeker's payments. You've been unemployed for longer than 18 months and the fact that you weren't on Jobseeker's payments for the whole time does not give you the right to say things like:

"18 months on the dole is a fair auld chunk of time. If I was you, I would be trying to get off it."

Are you suggesting that the OP does like you and moves home and takes out loans, getting into debt like you have? Because if not, you're suggesting that the OP just gets a job, and as you yourself haven't managed to do so in a longer time, then that is quite hypocritical.



Ireland is a country that supposedly takes care of its unemployed. It's a recession - The vast majority of people on Jobseeker's payments are genuine and there is no shame in accepting help when you need it if that help is available. What you call "snooting off" is actually me being exasperated at your constant protestations of how you'd "stayed out of the welfare loop" or some such nonsense. For what? Now you're in debt. You didn't need to be.

Oh I see, you think I am a snob. Now who is judging. And it is not nonsense. It makes perfect sense, if it works. I just had bad timing.

I stayed off welfare for a combination of reasons:

1. My mother said she would be mortally offended if I asked for SWA. Thats a personal thing, not much I can do about it. Circumstances differ from family to family. As it happens, I never seriously entertained the concept until the last 2 months- it helps to have applied for welfare relief before you ask for SWA.

2. Time constraints. A personal loan can be arranged through a guarantor and paid into your account in 7 days. I wanted to attend a preparatory course, get a suit, pay the rent, and have up front and immediately available spending money to get from A to B and try and make something happen. You cant do that on the welfare- {a} it doesnt offer the whack of cash you need to burst onto the scene, so to speak and {b} it can be so long in arriving that you could be totally out of the picture by the time it arrives.

My little plan failed, but thats all down to circumstance- Credit Crunch this and Recession that.

3. I always seemed to be on the cusp of something....and then it would fall through. And then I would get a weeks work, be on the cusp, waiting for a call, and then.. nothing. In those circumstances, you can forgive me for putting the Dole off.

4. Lets face it, there is nothing like being in a job. So I acted as if I was and kept plugging away. Eventually, I conceded defeat. I lost. I dont mind admitting it. Personally, I would hate, absolutely hate, for the Social Welfare office to be making stupid suggestions to me, on a face-face basis, once a month.

If my dole comes through, the first thing I am going to do is try and get off it. I thought we were obliged to do that anyway??

I value your advice and your help but everyone here has their own story and their own reasons. The above are mine- its as well as I tell the truth as I see it. I am not here to wind people up, lie or sell them down the river.

Xiney

The way I see it, if I'm getting the dole I'll answer their questions as to why I don't have a job. I'll show them the letters and emails I've sent off. I've been trying, I'm just stuck right now. Same as the OP. Same as a lot of people.

I don't expect them to just hand me money and ask me no questions. I've got the answers.

The OP's situation is that he feels the person he was talking to doesn't know what she's talking about, which I'm sure is the truth. But the simple fact of having to answer questions about why I'm still unemployed wouldn't bother me. They're paying me (or, they will be). They're entitled to ask if they should be.

IT Loser

Xiney wrote: »

The way I see it, if I'm getting the dole I'll answer their questions as to why I don't have a job. I'll show them the letters and emails I've sent off. I've been trying, I'm just stuck right now. Same as the OP. Same as a lot of people.

I don't expect them to just hand me money and ask me no questions. I've got the answers.

The OP's situation is that he feels the person he was talking to doesn't know what she's talking about, which I'm sure is the truth. But the simple fact of having to answer questions about why I'm still unemployed wouldn't bother me. They're paying me (or, they will be). They're entitled to ask if they should be.

Those are my sentiments, exactly.

I just respond to the questions differently. Maybe I am just a stuck up so-and-so. Fine. Maybe I just dont like the inquisitorial nature of the whole thing. Maybe, like the OP, I prefer the questions to be half useful.

Thats not a sin, is it? Yet?:D

Just for what its worth- when I first came here- I used to always come back and check first and see if you had left a reply. I really have no argument with you, at all.

tashiusclay

IT Loser wrote: »

it doesnt offer the whack of cash you need to burst onto the scene

what 'scene' are you talking about 'bursting' onto?you're hardly planning to burst onto red carpet events or attend the oscars on your welfare payment??you're applying for welfare payment,it's obviously going to be a step down from the lifestyle a well paid job,what were you expecting?

IT Loser

tashiusclay wrote: »

what 'scene' are you talking about 'bursting' onto?you're hardly planning to burst onto red carpet events or attend the oscars on your welfare payment??you're applying for welfare payment,it's obviously going to be a step down from the lifestyle a well paid job,what were you expecting?

:rolleyes:

Thats just the point. You wont do anything on a welfare payment, which is why I tried to stay off Welfare payments.

Try reading the whole thread next time.