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Work for your Benefit

Work for your Benefit

Information on Work for Your Benefit Trials and Legislation will appear here soon.

In the meanwhile please check out Ipswich Unemployed Action for more information.

“A comparative review of workfare programmes in the United States, Canada and Australia”

Richard Crisp and Del Roy Fletcher (Department for Work and Pensions Research Report No 533)

A report of research carried out by CRESR on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.

© Crown Copyright 2008. Published for the Department for Work and Pensions
under licence from the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office.

First Published 2008. ISBN 978 1 84712 445 6

Views expressed in this report are not necessarily those of the Department for
Work and Pensions or any other Government Department.

I will take a snippet of the report which can be found in full here.

Summary

This report examines the impact of workfare schemes that mandate participation in unpaid work activities as a condition of receiving social assistance (‘work for benefits’). It reviews the evidence from three countries that operate workfare schemes: the United States (US), Canada and Australia. The report finds that there are few systematic evaluations that isolate the impact of workfare from other elements of welfare-to-work programmes such as compulsory job search activities. The limited evidence that does exist on workfare indicates that:

Effectiveness in reducing welfare caseloads

– Dramatic reductions in welfare caseloads in the US and Canada cannot be attributed to workfare alone. Other elements of welfare reform such as intensive job search requirements and time limits on claiming have contributed to falling caseloads whilst economic growth has also enabled recipients to find work.

Workfare has a deterrent effect which stops people claiming or encourages them to leave welfare before the workfare phase. This makes it harder to measure the tangible outcomes of welfare.

– The proportion of welfare recipients engaged in workfare is low in all three countries studied, even in the US which has the most extensive and well-established workfare programme.

•  Effectiveness in improving employment outcomes

There is little evidence that workfare increases the likelihood of finding work. It can even reduce employment chances by limiting the time available for job search and by failing to provide the skills and experience valued by employers.

Subsidised (‘transitional’) job schemes that pay a wage can be more effective in raising employment levels than ‘work for benefit’ programmes.

Workfare is least effective in getting people into jobs in weak labour markets where unemployment is high.

Levels of non-participation in mandatory activities are high in some workfare programmes.

•  Effectiveness for clients with multiple barriers

Workfare is least effective for individuals with multiple barriers to work.

Welfare recipients with multiple barriers often find it difficult to meet obligations to take part in unpaid work. This can lead to sanctions and, in the most extreme cases, the complete withdrawal of benefits that leaves some individuals with no work and no income.

– Some states in the US have scaled down large-scale, universal workfare programmes in preference for ‘softer’ and more flexible models that offer greater support to those with the most barriers to work. This includes a greater reliance on subsidised jobs that pay wages rather than benefits to participants.

1 Introduction

This report focuses on workfare schemes that mandate participation in unpaid work activities in the public, private or ‘not-for-profit’ sector as a condition of receiving benefits. These workfare activities are sometimes referred to as ‘unpaid work experience’, ‘community service’ or ‘work for benefits’. Most workfare programmes have two explicit aims: to improve the employability and ‘work habits’ of participants and to enforce the reciprocal responsibilities of thosereceiving social assistance through taking part in activities of benefit to the wider
community.

The report addresses the impact of workfare in the US, Canada and Australia in terms of:

• the design and coverage of national and state-level workfare schemes;
• the ability of workfare to raise the incomes and employment levels of participants;
• the effectiveness of workfare in helping individuals with multiple barriers to work in finding employment.

The primary focus of this report is on workfare in the sense of unpaid work experience (‘work for benefits’) but, where relevant, it also considers the impact of subsidised job schemes (known as ‘transitional jobs’). These differ from workfare in paying a wage for participation in work activities in the private, public or not-for-profit sector, usually in temporary placements. This provides an opportunity to compare the impact of workfare with an alternative approach.

Flexible New Deal Scandal is unsure why the Government has gone ahead with the Work for your Benefit pilot scheme when it is clear the above report states about even in the United States they hand to soften up the schemes. Workfare will not be beneficial and its very likely that by the end of the pilot it will be scrapped.

Work for your Benefit pilot is not mandatory?

more coming soon.

Workfare against Human Rights?

Workfare is illegal under European Convention on Human Rights…

Article 4 – Prohibition of slavery and forced labour

1. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude. 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. 3. For the purpose of this article the term “forced or compulsory labour” shall not include:

a. any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention imposed according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention or during conditional release from such detention;
b. any service of a military character or, in case of conscientious objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted instead of compulsory military service;
c. any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community;
d. any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.

Workfare (“Work for your Benefits”) would allegedly fall under exemption d above, with workfare falling under the title of “normal civic obligations“.

The International Labour Organisation in a report defines “normal civil obligations” as “certain forms of work or service which constitute normal civic obligations: compulsory military service, work or service required in cases of emergency, and minor communal services” and “compulsory jury service and the duty to assist a person in danger or to assist in the enforcement of law and order“. “Minor communal services” are subsequently defined as “services of a kind which, being performed by the members of the community in the direct interest of the said community, can therefore be considered as normal civic obligations incumbent upon the members of the community, provided that the members of the community or their direct representatives shall have the right to be consulted in regard to the need for such services“.

A case in Germany (Karlheinz Schmidt v. Germany (Application no. 13580/88)) in 1994 returned the verdict that “compulsory fire service” was a “normal civil obligation”.

To sum up the Welfare and Human Rights issue:

  • A “normal civic obligation” can never be working for an employer of a private business without pay (or for your benefit). Working for a business that is focused on making a profit can never be a real benefit for the community. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights gives persons a right of choice to employment – this violates this right. As workfare (“work for your benefit”) is free labour (or cheap labour: if workfare providers charge) for a business, it displaces someone from a job, limits new jobs in the labour market and higher rates of unemployment is a negative factor for a community – it has no community benefit.
  • A “normal civic obligation” (for your benefits) could in theory be fine – as the work could be defined as a benefit for the community (just as Community Service apparently is) however doing the same work as those on Community Service without committing a crime, where it is mandatory (as opposed to volunteering) is an infringement of Human Rights. The Training Allowance (as detailed below) grows on this, as being classified as “in training” while effectively tortured (in the mildest definition) and forced into working, whilst not receiving any actual training is a further Human Rights violation.

Workfare and the Training Allowance

This section coming soon.

  • Unique Post

41 Responses to “Work for your Benefit

  1. 1
    Kyron says:

    You need to look on the downing street website. A petition has been launched against this

  2. 2
    michael says:

    I have no intention of working for my pittance. Like many people signing on I want to work but I have mental health problems and will not be doing anything which jepoardises my health. My GP will sign me off if I ask. Screw this country.

    • 3
      Tommy says:

      Asda are expecting people to work for their pittance.

      2 week work trials and you’re not on their pay roll , they give you a break to go to the job centre and sign on. This is walmart as well, the biggest retailer in the world, and they refuse to pay you minimum wage for 2 weeks work.
      Which can include Saturdays or Sundays. I think it’s disgusting and amazed the government are allowing them to get away with it.

      if that’s not exploitation then what is?

      • 4
        Flexible New Deal says:

        Actually do you know how Tesco Boss Terry Leahy got his knighthood?

        Tesco donated £5000 sponsorship in 1997 and 1998 (not sure if that was combined for both years or each) to the Labour party. Not Cash for Honour scandal though…. we are building up to it..

        Tesco was the biggest supporter of New Deal scheme and before he was knighted (in 2002) gave over 1500 opportunities (to work for nothing) to those on New Deal. This was the reason he got the knighthood and not because he is the boss of the largest British supermarket. If I find the article I will cite the source.

  3. 5
    Totallyincapacitated says:

    Hey this website is fantastic and is just the sort of thing that’s needed to combat this cruel, exploitative nonsense.

    Anyway, I’ve got a few survival tips for avoiding New Deal. Don’t know if they’re mentioned elsewhere but I’ve done a few of them and know people who have done the other things.

    First and best thing to do is get on incapacity benefit. You can do this by going to the doctor and telling him you’re feeling depressed, suicidal, socially anxious, whatever. If you’ve just been on a New Deal placement, you probably won’t even be lying! You’ll get signed off and you can claim incapacity benefit, which is (i think) more money, plus it’s MUCH less hassle. I know a few people on incapacity benefit and they don’t have any problems once they’re on there. It’s cushy but it does tend to be long-term. My mate’s been on it for ten years now.

    Personally, I did a few things to avoid / survive New Deal placements on the dole.

    First thing you can do is turn up to the first appointment (if it’s a Job Search thing that doesn’t help you) and don’t show up to any of the others. When asked later, just say you didn’t know you were meant to go to any others, and look suitably horrified that you missed out on a wonderful opportunity.

    Move to a different Borough. I did that a couple of weeks into my slave-labour placement and they cancelled it, saving me 11 awful weeks of steaming clothes with grannies in Cancer Research.

    Maybe it’s possible to fake moving by getting your bank to send statements to a friend or relative’s house, and using that as proof of address at a different Jobcentre. If you aren’t receiving housing benefit, that should work and there’s very little chance you’ll ever get caught.

    You’re entitled to three sick days without doctor’s permission, so you can use these on the slave-labour work-for-food placements they send you on without having sanctions put on you.

    You can also turn up consistently late and they can’t do anything about it. Just be nice about it so you can take the piss a lot more. An hour or two every morning really makes a difference. And have a moan with some other people there. You’re all united against a common enemy. Why suffer in silence? If you’re in a group you’ll find it easier to take longer breaks from doing Wordsearches with different types of jobs in them (I kid ye not!) and do what you want to do instead.

    It helps a lot to be nice to the staff regardless of how cretinous and awful they seem, because if they’re your friends you can get away with more stuff, like leaving early, dossing around, stuff like that.

    Also, I found taking a clever-looking book into the Job Club helped for boredom relief mostly, but also helped in changing the way staff reacted around me. Reading a book during their banal seminar on ‘barriers to work’ etc. seems to put them in an awkward position because they don’t want to berate you for reading but can’t stand the fact that you’re ignoring them. If they say anything just apologise, then do it again a couple of hours later.

    Hope these have been useful. Have fun.

  4. 6
    ken says:

    the only incapacity benefit is those that pre claimed employment support allowance.

    there are many with anxiety problems claiming jobseekers,my gp was willing to sign me off,however this leads to the new employment support allowance.

    trips to the job centre are still unavoidable however for sick notes, further problems occur later with atos,this company has a bad record of dealing with health issues,if “deemed fit” the claim is terminated and those have to claim jobseekers allowance or crisis loans to appeal outcomes’.

    people with mental health problems find it a huge barrier to find work.the job centre take the view its unlawful to discriminate,however the records show over 90% are out of work,these people are caught between aggressive job centre staff who aggravate conditions and causing further problems,atos taking a lax view and employers that taking a far from lax view.

    i personally have reservations of these programs,for the outlay to the public purse the success rate is low,i passed a charity shop recently and one person who was to supposed to have found employment when i was on new deal was back in there with a vacuum cleaner,it is supposed to provide a work reference but for many who are not in retail its useless,its seen as drab in reality and combined with gaps results in being overlooked.

    • 7
      michael says:

      Any idea how long you can be on ESA before

      a: you are forced to attend a medical?

      and

      b: before your previous jobseekers claim is reset back to 0 weeks?

      regarding a:, at least, I was on ESA from July 09 to September 09 at which point I (stupidly) chose to sign on rather than get another medical certificate. (Before I lost my job in July I had only claimed about 14 weeks of JSA in 10 years… I honestly/naively/insanely believed their claim that they wanted to help the unwell back to work)

      However, they messed my JSA claim up and the BDC’s systems said I was still in receipt of ESA even though I wasn’t and was signing on. Every time I signed on my JSA payment had to be processed manually which meant a delay of up to a week.

      Anyway, because of this mistake, ATOS started hassling me in around November. After speaking to about 12 people in the jobcenter and the BDC and writing to ATOS, noone did anything to fix it so I just ignored their letters and didn’t turn up to the medicals (bear in mind, this was their mistake – I was receiving JSA and wasn’t claiming to be unwell). By the end of December I was still getting letters threatening me with withdrawal of my non-existant ESA payments if I didn’t go to their medicals. So I reckon I could have got away with going from July to December (almost 6 months) claiming ESA without having a medical?

      nb like others who post here, I have conditions which make work very stressful & difficult for me but I suspect those are not the sort of things picked up in DWP medical assessments

      • 8
        ken says:

        hi michael,

        i am in a similar position to yourself,given these stupid jobseeker agreement rules brought in i dont even know if i will get paid despite doing everyday search.

        i am going back to my doctor and i am going to make sure this job centre and there practices are going to get a full mention,the stress is terrible.i will not be treated like that from like what i have seen and witnessed to others.

        my gp is likely to suggest signing off,from what i have been reading here

        http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/your_money/benefits/benefits_for_people_who_are_sick_or_disabled.htm

        “preparation” for work starts 13 weeks into the claim,i cannot see how you will be taken on if there are health problems,they have chosen to ignore that fact,also to claim jobseekers you cannot be classed as “sick” yet they close esa claims in favor of jobseekers and someone is still ill,the fact that an illness is present is likely to push people on to hardship payments as they have little prospect of work,it could go on and on its plainly ridiculous that a gp can say your ill which is the case and atos try and send you back to the job centre.

        i personally think i will have a very tough time now finding employment with my problems,its enough to kill an interview on the spot,the problem is disabilities have to be disclosed for dda purposes.

        my time signing time at the job centre i fear is very short now,some one cannot go on signing and signing its not fair on that person and with little or no prospect of having a normal work life.

        • 9
          ken says:

          follow up

          it appears atos are up to dirty tricks as here

          http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?s=132b2d3754cea63d7ddacfea5b3ca15d&t=1908607

          this is not good enough they appear to paper over other benefits in favour of jobseekers allowance.none of whats been said here comes as a surprise.

        • 10
          michael says:

          I was actually one of the very first people on New Deal just after New Labour got into power (1999, I think). I got a 6 month trial, which led to a 3-year job. None of the help I got was from outside agencies; it was all from people employed by the jobcentre. I always thought it was a good idea but it sounds like these greedy private firms have ruined it.

          My recent (unpleasant) experience of signing on has been an eye opener. There are far more unemployed people than jobs so why waste hundreds of millions harassing the least employable people into work. Why not worry about those people when there are more jobs than unemployed? The whole thing makes no sense.

  5. 11
    Gerry Attric says:

    Totallyicapacitated: Thanks for the tips, some of which I might try myself when the opportunity presents itself.

    But you do realise the New Deal was replaced in Oct last year with the Flexibel new Deal? Instead of the 13 weeks, you now only have to go to a provider once a fortnight for a few hours.

    I also think they have now tightend up on the disability dodge for new claimants.

  6. 12
    ken says:

    people who have a disability have a track record,it could go back many years’,perhaps being diagnosed at childhood and problems continue over many years’,that person might not even know,they suspect somethings wrong but dont know what.

    people who have a disability diagnosis are protected by the disability discrimination act and employers and the dwp have to follow that.

    this is what is one of my main concerns with people who have to attend the job centre,staff might realise how bullying and intimidating they are coming across and how this can effect someone who does not have a visible disability,it would appear that the tactics used shows a complete lack of awareness or worse they couldnt care less.

    as we all know there is no confidentiality in a job centre and when someone is taking an attitude with people it stands out and shows.

  7. 13
    Gerry Attric says:

    We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to call a Public Inquiry to establish whether paying private companies to reduce UK unemployment represents good value for the taxpayer?

    http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/JobPrograms/

  8. 14
    bono says:

    Hi – do you get paid extra money if you go on a work placement (or ‘boost’) on Phase 4 of the FND (I’m currently getting £100.95 pw JSA)? If so, how much more do you get? Any help gratefully received.

  9. 16
    Gerry Attric says:

    Bono: As far as I know you will only get reinbursement of travel expenses.

    Mnd you, there’s nothing to stop the company providing the work placement bunging you a few extra quid on the QT.

  10. 17
    Kyron says:

    I don’t know if this is the right place to post it but I was watching the wright stuff. It asked a question for the break. 6000 benefit cheats are found but only 70 tax evaders are found and prosecuted yet more money is lost through tax evasion go figure. Is the unemployed or incapacitated, disable or elderly this governments whipping boys and girls.

  11. 18
    Gerry Attric says:

    Kyron, it’s been like that for years. The reality is that it is a lot easier to catch a benefit cheat than investigate someone for tax evasion even though they cost the country more money.

    Think I will have to start watching the Right Stuff, looks a lot more interesting than some of the usual rubbish.

  12. 19
    ken says:

    as the saying goes “somethings will never change thats the way it is.

    while jobseekers’ have no rights regarding conditions’,the .gov website contradicts this.also skill not matching the job,yet they will try and send you for anything.

    “Typical causes of work-related stress include poor communication, a bad working environment and skills not matching those that are needed for the job”.

    they say that people are better off in work with mental health problems?.

    http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/HealthAndSafetyAtWork/DG_10026604

  13. 20
    Mark says:

    I’m on the FND scheme with Working Links . I attended my induction and then went in for one more meeting with them , since then I have heard nothing in a month .

    Nobody mentioned going there every 2 weeks or any further things that I needed to do .

    I’m signing on as normal and still receiving JSA .

    Whats going on ? Should I contact them ? I have no interest in going there but obviously I don’t want to lose any benefit .

    ( Sorry if this is a general question but I’ve just found this site and am not sure where to post )

    • 21
      Flexible New Deal says:

      Continue to provide signed labour market declarations (i.e. sign on) – I wouldn’t personally rock the boat by contacting them.

      • 22
        Kyron says:

        I completely agree with FND on this regard. My ordeal by A4E is causing me a lot of problems, my health is suffering. My chances of getitng sanctioned are getting higher as they are trying to make me apply for jobs I have no right or no possibility of getting.

        I am awaiting for a time they send me for a job as a brain surgeon knowing full well i can’t do it. Id still have to apply and goto interview if there was one otherwise i might get a sanction for it.

        Take it from me let sleeping dogs

        • 23
          Flexible New Deal says:

          … lie? A very big keyword there! :D Load of lies on Flexible New Deal!

          • 24
            Kyron says:

            I am glad you said that I wanted to leave an opening for someone to say that.

            OH BTW I am conscious that I have made waves for A4E is there anyone that could volunteer for me. I am looking for someone to ask for the getting to know you questionaire of 107 questions under the FOI Act. I am trying to save my own up as I don’t want them saying i am being vexatious.

            Do You think your friends LIKE YOU ?

            Do you Strangely Agree, Agree, Neither disagree or agree, Disagree or Strangely Disagree.

            Sorry can’t forgive the slight pee take

  14. 25
    Mickey says:

    It’s a bugger, this Flexible New Deal. Ah,fuck it, it’s too much hassle getting the benefits these days.

    I think I’ll get a job instead.

  15. 26
    W says:

    ***Article 4 of the European Convention on Human Rights***

    “Article 4 – Prohibition of slavery and forced labour

    1. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude. 2. No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. 3. For the purpose of this article the term “forced or compulsory labour” shall not include:

    a. any work required to be done in the ordinary course of detention imposed according to the provisions of Article 5 of this Convention or during conditional release from such detention;
    b. any service of a military character or, in case of conscientious objectors in countries where they are recognised, service exacted instead of compulsory military service;
    c. any service exacted in case of an emergency or calamity threatening the life or well-being of the community;
    d. any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations. ”

    Does A4e and the Government even know they are breaking The Law??

    • 27
      Flexible New Deal says:

      A4e is a private business and aren’t bound to Human Rights.

      [Human Rights]
      | |
      | |
      | |
      [Laws] [HRA]

      Human Rights is a cloud of nonsense giving us humans the right to think we should be valued and respected. Human Rights are only enforceable for that which is written in laws…as for private businesses go, there is similar laws to certain rights… (such as generally “Murder”=>”Right to Life” etc. although that was a crime before Human Rights existed) and then there is civil issues (such as “libel/slander” which couples a few different rights)

      For public bodies, there is the Human Rights Act which allows you to apply the ECHR Human Rights to decisions made by the Government. This is a weak excuse for a law to protect someones human rights.

      Unless a law exists to the contrary it is almost impossible to rely on Human Rights. Some court cases have gone down such route but are normally due to being against a public body where the Human Rights Act is applicable.

      The ECHR is a joke anyway – they are very rough without being properly defined. Our representatives sign away… then it takes some court case happening the other side of Europe 20 years later etc. to define what certain phrases are to mean.

  16. 28
    Chris H says:

    Isn’t there a European Court of Human Rights or some sort of similar body where you can submit a complaint about an organisation or company? If there is I think we should all sign a petition against the Jobcentre and/or the UK government, to highlight the illegality of it all.

    Surely they can’t ignore it?

  17. 30
    Steven Adams says:

    They are all part of the same club. The people who make the laws (including the welfare laws) are funded by the wealthy – the very people who want to exploit you and who avoid paying UK taxes by claiming so-called “non-dom” status (e.g. Lord Michael Ashcroft).

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8542744.stm

    It’s the same in Europe; it’s the same everywhere.

  18. 31
    Gerry Attric says:

    The UK government has been hauled before the European Court for more breaches of human rights than any other government.

    So don’t give up, keep fighting in your own way. And they will be in for a shock when the fightback begins if they try and implement Workfare.

  19. 32
    Gerry Attric says:

    W: There’s a YouTube video about Article 4 in the context of Workfare. It’s says how people on Workfare will probably be doing the same work as those sentenced to Community Payback and how being unemployed is not a crime, so they might be able to refuse to do the same work.

  20. 33
    Flexible New Deal says:

    I have added reference to the ability of selling workfare participants to the above page. It might not be free labour but cheap labour.

  21. 34
    Help not needed? says:

    I am alittle alarmed by some of the comments and attitudes on here. Paying my taxes since leaving school some 16 years ago I don’t believe that unless there is absolutely good reason everyone able to work should. There should be severe punishment for those who try and scam the system, making it more difficult for those that really need help. I have recently formed a company to help unemployed people, not to make money (because we are a registered charity), but because it is important we try and keep jobs and industry in this country. I have even put my house on the line to raise abit of capital to fund this. After reading these comments I have to ask myself why!! There are people out there that really do what to make a difference and not use slave labour as a way of making money. There are jobs out there, you just need to look. Not being offensive, just a strong point of view which I believe is more than reasonable.

  22. 35
    Flexible New Deal says:

    Great! What is the charity called? I’ll look out for it.

  23. 36
    michael says:

    Gee, what an original thought.

  24. 37
    Kyron says:

    No help needed that is great that you have set up a charity to help out. I congratulate you on this but my problem is actually with charities. I will now give you a brief background

    Visually impaired person and I am highly qualified in the I.T Field but can I get a break ? No my eye sight. I didnt rest on my laurels and do nothing and bury my head in the sand. I got off my arse did a voluntar placement at queen alexandra college in birmingham (West Midlands). I was put in contact with a specialistcharity Action For Blind People at the time. I have been with them for over 5 years now. During this time a two year voluntary placement and then a paid contract. This ran out due to gvernment funding or lack of in the higher education sector. I signed back on and made use of Disability employment advisor and continued to see Action For Blind people on a voluntary basis. December 2009 and I was summoned to my Jobcentre In halesowen. Told I had been put onto new deal stage four and told I had to see A4E. A4E have threatend and intimiadted me they couldn’t even support my needsproducing small print documents and sending me for teaching jobs knowing full well I hadn’t got a teaching qualification. I have been stoped from seeing action for blind PeopleMy job search has gone down hill. I havre now been sent to Beacon for the blind a long bloody distance away. Threatend with sanctions, not able to claim the full travel costs until I made the point that It is their duty to ensure I can get to the place. The seem to have rolled over abit now.

    By This time last year Action for blind people had got me 3/4 interviews. And A4E have got ZIP, DIDLY, ZERO job interviews and No placement.

    I Dont mind being refered to a charity I object to money grabbing merchants that just see pound signs. And I hate that I have been compelled when I was going voluntary to a place that suited me and was extremely easy to get to. I dont know what wll happen during the winter dark night and more risk of me falling and injuring myself.

    COME ON NO HELP NEEDED THINK ABOUT IT. GOVERNMENT PAYS A4E AND BEACON. THEY WERE NOT PAYING ACTION FOR BLIND PEOPLE IN THE WEST MIDLANDS AND THEY DID A BETTER JOB AND CHEAPER TO THE TAX PAYER.

    Please accept my sincere apologies for seeming to shout the last paragraph I am only trying to make a point in it

    Good luck with the charity no help needed

  25. 38
    michael says:

    quote: “I have recently formed a company to help unemployed people, not to make money (because we are a registered charity)”.

    Since when were registered charities set up “not to make money”. YMCA Training is a registered charity so are some of the other organisations taking millions to harass the unemployed on behalf of the government. You’re not going for any DSS contracts then? You’re not drawing a wage then? Or using it on your CV or as a way to get an MBE? I mean, come on, we may be unemployable dole scum but we are not idiots.

    • 39
      Flexible New Deal says:

      hehe, Yes because fundraising is “not to make money”… hmm, interesting.

      All charities exist to make a profit.. the difference is non-profits and charities reinvest the profits back into the organisation to achieve their aims.

      If a charity broke-even in year 1, in year 2 it would be extremely difficult to achieve their aims. I won’t say it would be impossible as the charity would have survived year 1 and grants could help make a profit in the second year. Profits made from year 1 would allow for better cash flow and to provide better help to whom they support in year 2 because you can’t assume fundraising for example will remain steady *and* it costs money to fundraise etc. 99% of the time.

  26. 40
    Funny A4e Photos says:

    Let’s not tar all charities with the YMCA brush. There are hundreds of small charities run a shoestring from garden sheds (in some cases) by dedicated indivduals who do not get any grants from the governemt.


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