Make work not misery

[Happy Hamster]

Hi Happy hamster here, Ive been on a bit of a self imposed exile due to making a fool of myself for posting while drunk. May i first apolagise to david and the team, I know you put a lot of effort into this and im sorry for abusing it.

Anyway the point of this thread.
I am still unemplyed, I am fourty and although eager to get back to work can not seem to persuade anyone to buy my skills. I recently got a job only to be called back to have the offer withdrawn due to cut backs. I have now reached the conclusion that i could be out of work for years not months and i know i am not alone. people in my age group are going to find it very hard to compete when the econamy recovers.

So here is my suggestion, Rather than pay me €200 euro a week to do feck all- use me.
Their are plenty of good works that could be carried out that would not take away from the job market , and i would like to give one example, and of how it could be done.

Their are a lot of disused railways in the country that could be turned into foot/cycle paths why not through F.a.s advertise for twenty unemployed people to work in their local area on converting these? No need to hire organisors or people to make sure we turn up, just sit us down give us a time frame to come up with a budget and research the practicalities and were off. We can organise our selves to do the work. DO NOT MAKE IT COMPULSERY, we are adults and we would all have a proven track record of working or we wouldent apply. pay us our expences (no more than €50.00 per week) pluss the dole rate.and give us access to technical support (councel engineers etc) cover our insurance, health, safety training etc. But Most importantly take us of the signing on and dont call us unemployed- We would be working and not on some compulsery scheme (Its called respect people!)
To avoid problems with the min wage we could "volunteer" some hours.

Yes it would cost money in materials but local knowledge is a wonderfull thing and im sure costs could be kept down. We probably wouldent work as fast as the proffesionals but were doing nothing and there are plenty of respectable schemes that could be aproached without taking jobs from the market.

If you reply to this, please reply to the concept, not just the rail cycleway thing.

[Mazzy Maz]

It's a good idea in theory, but in practice I would imagine that it's cheaper to keep people on the dole. In the end I reckon that concerns about costs (materials, insurance etc.) would swing the argument against you. Sad but true (or so I believe).

[wysiwyg]

Hi Happy hamster here, Ive been on a bit of a self imposed exile due to making a fool of myself for posting while drunk. May i first apolagise to david and the team, I know you put a lot of effort into this and im sorry for abusing it.

Anyway the point of this thread.
I am still unemplyed, I am fourty and although eager to get back to work can not seem to persuade anyone to buy my skills. I recently got a job only to be called back to have the offer withdrawn due to cut backs. I have now reached the conclusion that i could be out of work for years not months and i know i am not alone. people in my age group are going to find it very hard to compete when the econamy recovers.

So here is my suggestion, Rather than pay me €200 euro a week to do feck all- use me.
Their are plenty of good works that could be carried out that would not take away from the job market , and i would like to give one example, and of how it could be done.

Their are a lot of disused railways in the country that could be turned into foot/cycle paths why not through F.a.s advertise for twenty unemployed people to work in their local area on converting these? No need to hire organisors or people to make sure we turn up, just sit us down give us a time frame to come up with a budget and research the practicalities and were off. We can organise our selves to do the work. DO NOT MAKE IT COMPULSERY, we are adults and we would all have a proven track record of working or we wouldent apply. pay us our expences (no more than €50.00 per week) pluss the dole rate.and give us access to technical support (councel engineers etc) cover our insurance, health, safety training etc. But Most importantly take us of the signing on and dont call us unemployed- We would be working and not on some compulsery scheme (Its called respect people!)
To avoid problems with the min wage we could "volunteer" some hours.

Yes it would cost money in materials but local knowledge is a wonderfull thing and im sure costs could be kept down. We probably wouldent work as fast as the proffesionals but were doing nothing and there are plenty of respectable schemes that could be aproached without taking jobs from the market.

If you reply to this, please reply to the concept, not just the rail cycleway thing.

a decent suggestion HH, but similar, if not exactly the same as the FAS community employment schemes, which the Government are cutting back.. and for the life of me, I don't know why

[Happy Hamster]

It's a good idea in theory, but in practice I would imagine that it's cheaper to keep people on the dole. In the end I reckon that concerns about costs (materials, insurance etc.) would swing the argument against you. Sad but true (or so I believe).

I understand what your saying, but i think that their are ways costs on non profit schemes such as this can be reduced (sponsership, discount on materials etc) and it would be up to the workers to seek these.
I think their is a hidden cost to unemployment that will especialy hit people in the long term and this is around health both mental and physical. you would be amazed at how quickly you become demotivated and sedentry. I know it sounds daft but its true. Also this is an opurtunity to Build a better social infrastructure which perversly during better economic times the govt probably couldent afford. their must be plenty of paths, play areas parklands, Disabled access schemes, ponds, etc that we could all aspire to enjoy that simply wont be built.
Allso the key here is the self management, no need to employ people to manage the teams they are self governing and It would be in their interst to keep the schemes moving and in or under budget.
However i allso believe their is more to this than Finances, Here is a chance for the govt to do somthing for its citezans, I would imagine that most of those applying would have previously been at work. You can not just leave us with no hope of getting of this dammed dole. If i could i would get on my knees in front of a govt minister and beg for something like this.
I know that sounds melodramatic, But its true. Iwant my child to see me going out and working, I want to be Usefull. Its got to be more than just Financis for me and the many like me. Dont waste us. (sorry that is a bit melodramatic)

[Happy Hamster]

a decent suggestion HH, but similar, if not exactly the same as the FAS community employment schemes, which the Government are cutting back.. and for the life of me, I don't know why

From what i know of this scheme you cant get on it untill you have been signing on for a year. allso i believe it only lasts six months. For Me the main point would be the self management and pride that could be taken in doing something usefull,being usefull. I have tried to find out about c.e.s But just get told to come back when ive been out of work a year.
Allso (sorry to go on) I dont believe from the jobs ive seen advertised c.e.s that they are being inovative, we need something people can feel is going to last I have occasionaly been exited to see work advertised on FAS only to see its C.E.S not only can i not apply but if i could and did get it it wouldent be foot in the door as its only temp and then they get some other poor s.o,b (i think)

[darkhorse]

Why dont you offer your services FREE to any employer for 6 months?
With an expectation that if things pick up he will put you on the payroll after that
At least then something worthwhile might come out of it
And the job itself might be more interesting...
Just a thought

[Mazzy Maz]

HH, I like your idea and sentiment. I do believe, however, that your idea is unworkable within the constraints of current political / state structures etc.

On a more positive note, when I read your OP I was reminded of anarchist / libertarian communist values and ideas. So, having spoken to the resident office anarchist that sits across from me, I recommend that you check out the following: Dublin Community Gardens

It may or may not be of any use to you, but it might lead you to similar endeavours that you might like to get involved in.

[Happy Hamster]

Why dont you offer your services FREE to any employer for 6 months?
With an expectation that if things pick up he will put you on the payroll after that
At least then something worthwhile might come out of it
And the job itself might be more interesting...
Just a thought

Hi
Two problems with this im afraid. the first is that i would lose the dole payment.
The second is that if an Employer needs somebody like me then he will hire somebody, doing it for free would just put someone out of a job and or reduce the overtime available to your new colleuges (how to make friends and influence people)
I am allso aware that i could just vollunteer to some charitable organization. I have nothing against this I vollunteered for a whole year when i was twenty and did one day a week for many years afterwards. But this is still limited and not something i could now contemplate replacing real work with. Their is a difference between vollunteering because you can and because you have nothing else. I would be happy to vollunteer time outside of working on a scheme such as i am talking about. But mostly i want to be working. as a vollunteer i would still be unemployed.
I know i may not have explained that to well i hope it makes sense.

[Happy Hamster]

HH, I like your idea and sentiment. I do believe, however, that your idea is unworkable within the constraints of current political / state structures etc.

On a more positive note, when I read your OP I was reminded of anarchist / libertarian communist values and ideas. So, having spoken to the resident office anarchist that sits across from me, I recommend that you check out the following: Dublin Community Gardens

It may or may not be of any use to you, but it might lead you to similar endeavours that you might like to get involved in.

Thanks, my wifes just got home from her work so i have to get off the comp and look busy house husbandish, But i will check it out

[birthday]

I'm not sure if you got a redundancy payment when you became unemployed or how long you have been on Jobseekers Benefit but be aware that after 9 months you will have to apply for Benefit. Your redundancy payment may mean you will qualify for nothing.
Given that the new 9 month rule was introduced last July by Hanafin there will be many people in for a rude awakening very soon if they have any savings!
Anyway I wish you well.