'Voluntary' working while on benefits

[witchcraft_shop]

I do realise this will open a platform for bleeding heart liberals to whine on and on, but

Comments

[la_marquise_de_]

No, it doesn't.
You will treat him well and teach him the skills he'll need in retail -- and, if all goes well, be able to provide him with references for his next job. And it's an arrangement that helps both your business and him. The big supermarket etc, however, *can* afford to pay a living wage and were not, it appeared, doing any training. Big difference. The marquis and I were saying just the other day that a scheme like this would make much more sense if targeted at small businesses who need the support.

[hawkwing_lb]

This exactly. Companies which can afford to pay living wages - which are still making significant profits - shouldn't be using the government to pay their staff for them.

Small businesses, or registered charities, are different matters. To my mind there's a big ethical difference between running a scheme desgined to pad big-corporate profits without giving individuals reasonable-value-for-labour in return, and actually giving people solid training and skills as well as experience.

[birdsedge]

Agree with Kari about small businesses being more suitable than large ones

[smilingmoon]

I find it an interesting idea actually. I can however see that some may think it isn't. Like you've said it does give experience which they may not otherwise get. At the rate the economy is going it may be quite a while before he would get the experience. I think it's very interesting.

[witchcraft_shop]

Thanks all - I CAN see there might be a difference, and we have taken advantage of Youth Training schemes before, when we had a young 'apprentice' for a year, who was charged with getting our website to sing and dance. As it happened he did not turn out that well, and the website is now in the hands of an extremely capable and personable couple from a Swamp in Connecticut, and the apprentice left of his own volition once it became clear to all of us that his abilities did not quite match his opinion of himself. To be totally fair, the failure of that particular experiment was partially our own fault for not understanding how much management a younger person might need

[badgermirlacca]

I comment with two caveats: One, I sort of consider myself one of those bleeding-heart liberals, and two, I'm not British, so I may completely misunderstand just what is involved with a "job-seeker's allowance

[klwilliams]

Good for you. Your government should call these internships, since that's in essence what they are. Are you going to list as a hiring qualification "must think you are Queen of the Fairies"?