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I& #39;m now in employment, which I fought my ass off for, but I wanted to add my voice into the #MOstrike so here& #39;s a thread spanning the 9 or so years I was unemployed, and under mutual obligations on Newstart.
I have been connected with a range of job service providers including mainstream and disability. None of them ever accepted my disabilities and refused to take them into consideration for MO activities or jobs.
I was at one point made to do work for the dole in landscaping. I have a physical disability and at the time was not able to access mobility aids, was expected to mow lawns the size of several football fields. Wasn& #39;t allowed inside to use kitchen or toilet.
My next close call with WFTD was as a kitchen hand. I requested something like admin/data entry because I accepted I needed to do something. I was forced to complete "job skill" courses multiple times.
I was threatened with losing my payments if I didn& #39;t participate in these "courses" or if I wasn& #39;t able to sit in the tiny computer rooms and search for jobs with others as a group activity. My anxiety/paranoia was never taken seriously despite it being part of my schizophrenia
I had managers of disability providers tell me they didn& #39;t need to consider my disability needs and I should be grateful for the kitchen hand work they were pushing. I was cut off my payments several times when I wasn& #39;t able to physically access my disability...
I& #39;m now in employment, which I fought my ass off for, but I wanted to add my voice into the #MOstrike so here& #39;s a thread spanning the 9 or so years I was unemployed, and under mutual obligations on Newstart.
I have been connected with a range of job service providers including mainstream and disability. None of them ever accepted my disabilities and refused to take them into consideration for MO activities or jobs.
I was at one point made to do work for the dole in landscaping. I have a physical disability and at the time was not able to access mobility aids, was expected to mow lawns the size of several football fields. Wasn& #39;t allowed inside to use kitchen or toilet.
My next close call with WFTD was as a kitchen hand. I requested something like admin/data entry because I accepted I needed to do something. I was forced to complete "job skill" courses multiple times.
I was threatened with losing my payments if I didn& #39;t participate in these "courses" or if I wasn& #39;t able to sit in the tiny computer rooms and search for jobs with others as a group activity. My anxiety/paranoia was never taken seriously despite it being part of my schizophrenia
I had managers of disability providers tell me they didn& #39;t need to consider my disability needs and I should be grateful for the kitchen hand work they were pushing. I was cut off my payments several times when I wasn& #39;t able to physically access my disability...
service provider because the office could not be accessed with my rented mobility scooter. I was not allowed to move providers, and they called me lazy and a liar when I tried to demonstrate what happens when I try to walk.
I spent a year with a Catholic provider, and was told to suck it up when I complained that they were pushing their religious ideals on me. I have had providers refuse to apply for jobs for me unless I "got rid of" my tattoos because they aren& #39;t meant for girls.
I have been forced to enter into TAFE course study time and time again, once when I didn& #39;t have access to mobility aids again, and upon completion told it would be useless and to pick something else.
I had a & #39;consultant& #39; tell me my only options would be childcare because I was a "woman" and therefore must love children. I identify as non-binary and do not want to work with children, and working with children presents risks in relation to my physical disabilities.
I have been bullied by consultants and managers, I have been threatened and belittled. I have been called lazy, a liar, gross, a waste of time. In 9+ years with JSA& #39;s I never had a single interview. I was chased for 4 months by a DSA to give them my job details...
For a job I had found myself so they could claim it. I had been with them 3 weeks and hadn& #39;t even met my consultant yet. I have had consultants ruin job trials and opportunities by pushing them to hire me and taking over the conversations.
Since my experiences I have tried to gain employment in the sector on a few occasions in the hopes that maybe I could start changing things and working with empathy and compassion. I have been knocked back time and time again due to my disabilities.
I have been with the following agencies: Max Employment, Ability Options, Wise Employment, Global Skills, Nova Employment, Jobfind, breakthru and 2 others that seem to no longer be operating and I have spaced on the names.
Unemployed people and people with disabilities connected to these "providers" are treated like dirt, bullied and hopes are dashed. #MOstrike is long overdue because Mutual Obligations are a load of shit.
