A FERMANAGH jobseeker has told the Herald that the job centre offered him work experience picking up litter for £10 a week on top of his dole money.
The Department for Communities’ “Work Experience Programme” – also known as “dole plus £10” – is offered on a voluntary basis to unemployed people.
The scheme has been widely criticised as it is viewed as exploiting the unemployed as “substitute labour” instead of offering a full-time position with participating companies.
“I was offered a placement where I would pick up litter for £10 per week on top of my dole money,” said the jobseeker who asked the Herald not to publish their name.
“It was put to me that this was optional and that turning it down would not affect my benefits. As the position was not an admin role, I turned it down.
“My job coach did say that this was ‘an ongoing opportunity’ and that I would be able to say that I had ‘done something’ on my CV.
“This was not part of a training programme and my job coach didn’t make it clear as to who would be paying the extra £10 – the dole or the Council themselves.
“I don’t see what any person would be getting from this scheme as there was no clear path where this would lead to getting any full-time work.
“There was also no mention of training or PPE (personal protective equipment) as litter pickers risk coming across sharp object and used needles for example. Nothing was mentioned about any of that when this was put to me.”
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