My mum used to frequently admonish my brothers and I with the words, 'if at first you don't succeed, try, try again'. Cheekily we would reply, 'try striking a match on a jelly'!
Tony Abbott tweets that applying for “one job a day is hardly unreasonable” and many feel he's right - how hard can it be for all these unemployed to do their bit, and surely for all that welfare the working taxpayers should have something they can point to as an example of what recipients are prepared to do in order to share the burden of unemployment.
Umm... Sadly no.
Imagine you own a business within a 250metre radius of your local Centrelink - how many people do you suppose are going to hit you up for a business card or a name so that they can show they have attempted to find work - and that's just those that don't just want to create a fabrication.
Think about the skill sets involved in seeking employment - sales and marketing to approach the employer, presentation, charm, conflict resolution and negotiation skills and you don't even have an interview, when all of these and more need to be demonstrated in order for you to get your opportunity as a general hand!
' Dear Mr A - please note requisite skill sets to gain interview and successfully develop employment opportunity are widely separated from those required to carry our inherent requirements of most jobs any long term unemployed person might undertake'.
This is part of the reason why you come across those poor sods, interviewed by our media who have applied for 932 jobs without coming to the realisation that there's an issue with their technique! - They loyally find a jelly and take their box of matches and industriously swipe away - and nothing short of divine intervention will ever change their status as unemployed.
There are a lot of folk that fall into this category and amongst them people with disability are over represented. Not only do these individuals have to do all those things listed above, they also have to deal with the unspoken questions around disability - the stuff employers might want to ask but fear the thought of becoming labelled as discriminating.
Much easier just to say no.
Instead of blaming and labelling and asking, if not the unreasonable, then certainly the ineffective, how about instead relying on human nature.
Here's the clue: No bastard* wants to be worse off!
A job, any job, makes the worker better off - we have a raft of supports in place to make employment attractive and the greatest incentive of all is human nature. Unemployed people are generally pretty ashamed that they aren't working. Rather than revelling in their freedom from effort they are stressed and anxious about how they are going to pay their next bill, feed their families and keep a roof over their heads - Australians want to work!
I have previously stated that I could not manage emotionally or physically on the pittance paid to the luckless unemployed. My mental health would falter, my confidence evaporate and my resilience desert me - I simply don't have the skills.
So; let's make the assumption that the vast majority of unemployed persons wants to work, there's an inevitable conclusion - NO NEED TO PENALISE!
Long term unemployed people need skilled support and sufficient resources to succeed.
Where's help needed and where would intervention make a difference? No point in overly attempting to match local labour market and training, however beguiling that may sound. Trust me, we tried that and the newly sprung up training organisations simply dudded the Commonwealth, running pointless programs that delivered not much more than a worthless piece of paper noting some level of participation.
We may need to accept that there are a certain number of people who aren't included amongst these would be's if could be's - for this minority accept that they presently won't play, leave out enticements to get on board and concentrate on the keen majority that need our help
Let's make the pathway to employment and the rewards of participation something that encourages and supports a move toward inclusion and participation rather than a minefield of penalties..
For the remaining majority we should consider enrolment in meaningful programs that don't use punishment as a threat but offer personalised support to grow in confidence so that participants can hold their heads high and they don't present as cowed or beaten, but as keen and full of potential (cos this is the reality). Incentivise attendance with extra money for turning up that covers the cost of attendance, presentable clothing and resources for real job applications.
People need and appreciate a support system that doesn't exist to punish them or 'game' a Government contract but rather programs staffed by people who have the rime to get to know their clients as individuals. NOVA Employment Specialists have around 25 jobseekers to support - it's not unusual for the equally dedicated but hopelessly overworked staff of Job Active to attempt to meet the needs of 200 individuals!
More to follow
(Quick note: If you're one of these folk - we (NOVA) are recruiting - you'll earn more and get greater job satisfaction with us - check out our website for details)
* Apologies if my language offends - I call upon the 'Woodful Defence': In 1933, the English cricket captain Douglas Jardine visited the Australian dressing room to complain bitterly to his Australian counterpart Bill Woodful that an Australian player had called him a bastard.
Concerned by this charge Woodfull turned to his team and said: "Right, which one of you bastards called this bastard a bastard?"
Would you like a face-to-face meeting with Martin via Skype? Click the button below to make an appointment
Subscribe to this Blog - blog.novaemployment.com.au Copy the link above and paste it into your favourite Reader to subscribe to an RSS feed of this blog. To watch a short video explanation of RSS and how it helps you save time reading the web click here
Your Comments There are currently no comments on this article
Previous Posts
Benchmarks To access NOVA Employment or any Disability Employment Service (DES), almost everyone is required to be assessed by the Services Australia Services (Centrelink) to determine their "Benchmark" hours: Benchmark hours are the pay point for service providers; being the minimum working hours required for the DES provider to bill the Government and the assessed maximum hours a person is deemed capable of working with DES support....
International Day of People with a Disability
International Day of People with a Disability
It's IDPwD and we have a 1 hour 'special' screening on SBS from 4.30 this afternoon.
Our Ryan Goodwin has done a great job of selecting some of the great entries from NOVA's 'Focusonability' short film festival - we love the Festival and hope that you'll love these films, gathered from around the world....
2020 - the first half When the going gets tough, the tough get going
Good! - Now they've left us, let's look at reality - when the going gets tough, many people suffer and dis-proportionally, people with disability suffer more....
Countdown Clock II
What's the countdown clock all about?
It's our closing time and a countdown to the end of a truly remarkable month of extraordinary effort by my staff....
Countdown Clock Regular viewers will have noticed a countdown clock ticking away (above)
What's that all about?
Can't say - you have to wait till 4.30pm (a little earlier for staff)
...
Just the best 3 One thing we all love is a winner which is why there's a smile on my face it will be pretty hard to shift.
There's a nightmare pandemic sweeping the world (carried off my mum), the economy has tanked in a never before seen disaster that's left more than a million Aussies unemployed and the only news seems to be bad news....
More than Money!
If asked, most of us would say we went to work for the money, to pay our bills or support our family.
All true, and yet work means so much more:
Prior to finding a job with NOVA employment Glenn* struggled to keep jobs for more than a few months and was generally working as a dishwasher in restaurants which he found to be quite unsatisfying work....
Life Changers II
How are you in the mornings (or evenings, or nights)? NOVA is an 'old school' Disability Employment Service - we find work in the general community with identical pay and conditions as those enjoyed by people who dont have a disability....
Life Changers Required! Received yesterday:
I was unemployed for 24 years because of my disability. I was looking for a job for the last 2 and half years. With the help of (NOVA Staff) I found suitable job and working in the law company for last one year....
Try us!
Don't know about you but I have felt pretty bruised from all the horrible stuff brought upon us by this damn virus - seeing so many folk losing their jobs is particularly awful and the uncertainty generated for everyone, particularly for workers who have a disability is dreadful to see....
Best Ever II
Following from last post:
NOVA Employment has operated for 30 years. Comparing all results from previous years, February 2020 has been our most successful to date - Following on from January that's 2 in a row and every indication March will also be a record breaker....
Best Ever
NOVA Employment posted another 'best ever' result for the first month of 2020.
Despite the most dreadful natural disasters and with many businesses closed for the holidays, the NOVA team delivered more new workers than in any previous January results, beating past 5 years average by 25% and previous (2017) 'best ever' numbers by 5%....
Depressing cracked record!
A good friend will occasionally pull me up with the reminder that I have a tendency to rant, 'rave on slop jaw' if I remember correctly....
Big Win! Saturday night saw a big win for the NOVA team and for people with disability when our Podcast partners NOVA Entertainment- no relationship other than mates - received the following:
BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST - BRANDED
Focus On Ability; Nova Employment & the Nova Entertainment Podcast Team , NOVA Entertainment
BEST ORIGINAL PODCAST - UNBRANDED
Hamish & Andy; Hamish Blake & Andy Lee, PodcastOne Australi
Taken from the web: https://www....
Good Result!
Received the following yesterday morning:
Hi Nova, just wanted to give my feedback in regards to my mother getting a job through you guys and the amazing impact it has had!! The job that mum has received has changed her outlook on everything! She is now much more confident in her self and her abilities....
Welfare Benefits and Health
It is said that power corrupts, but actually it's truer that power attracts the corruptible. The sane are usually attracted by other things than power: David Brin
DES providers don't need nor should they have been given the authority to suspend welfare benefits (see above)....
Disgusting!
Disgusting!: https://probonoaustralia.com.au/news/2019/07/ndis-data-drop-reveals-severe-employment-gaps/
I have spoken previously on, to quote former President Bush, 'the soft bigotry of low expectations' - if you are a member of a marginalised group the public don't expect much and are surprised when anything much is achieved!
I've been in this game for more than 30 years and have been privileged to see literally thousands of terrific men and women leave NOVA To gain (and retain) great jobs....
Goodness me!
Goodness me!
Read this article: https://www.smh.com.au/national/no-lights-no-linen-how-alex-survived-for-six-years-on-newstart-20190717-p5284q....
Changing Attitudes
One of the hardest things to do is change a person's attitude - if they are favourably disposed to you, all's well and good - if someone holds a contrary view it's an uphill battle to change a mindset....
Retention Retention, Retention!
Just when you thought things couldn't get any better, something comes along that causes you to stop and to reconsider the way your business is conducted....
Subscribe to this Blog