Personal Stories

Stories & experiences of Workfare

1. also another depot in Dorchester

2. DORSET RECLAIM is a large and wellknown charity, supplying second hand furniture, electrical & household items to the local public on low income.These items (free donations) get daily collected and delivered by their fleet of vans and stored in a large warehouse with opening hours Mon to Fri between 9:30 am and 4:40 pm. Bournemouth Council runs a Welfare Scheme providing vouchers for basic furniture (inclus. washing machines and refrigerators) which can be redeemed at Dorset Reclaim. My CWP was called ‘Receptionist’, a job which does not fit with my skills profile or work experience at all. I had to assist customers with their purchases and got regularly reprimanded by staff members for what I have done wrong, in general I experienced their attitude towards me as towards an offender. Apart from less than 5 members of staff who are employed on Managerial Level, there work there full time approx 50 people for this charity, all on forced voluntary work schemes. This applies to admin staff and the guys in the warehouse.I had to attend there 30 hours a week whilst receiving Jobseeker’s Allowance. The sword of getting sanctioned was constantly hanging over me.In addition I had to travel on my only day off for 2 hours one way by bus to the CWP provider organisation ‘Abilities’ in Poole for ‘Assisted Job Search’ – although I do have a PC at home, wherefrom I conducted my Job Search daily and was well capable to do so without any ‘assistance’.The Manager at Abilities shouted once at me and gave me in general the impression of a rather stressed and intolerant person.I have since left on 11/09/2014 and support myself currently independent of government benefits. www.dorsetreclaim.org.uk or tel: 01202 773 384

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