I wish govt would treat welfare recipients w/the same high trust they did businesses receiving wage subsidy. Hearing Grant Robertson talk about success as most businesses were genuine in need and followed the rules. The same would happen with welfare if govt trusted people.
My flatmate is on the benefit. She is dyslexic, 1st time at uni after leaving school early, not officially diagnosed because that costs $$, and so not able to access much support. Study is part-time in mental health & addiction - a field we desperately need more people going into
She also works night shifts 3 nights a week as a support worker for a disabled man. She's busy and helping people. Has told WINZ that she is at capacity in terms of how much she can take on and that her study will make her better at support or social work jobs when she finishes.
WINZ says not good enough, you have to go into full-time work now. She has to go unpaid training days at WINZ to get lectures from people who - while many of them are lovely - are more focussed on deficits than helping people to achieve their aspirations and dreams.
Imagine if we trusted people on welfare to be the architects of their own lives and wrapped support around them to make it happen. What a wonderful, modern and dignified country we would be.
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