Yes, I’m still here. Interesting (if absurd) developments on the New Deal front. The manager of the course told me she agrees that it’s not really appropriate for me at the present time… but, there’s no way out of it bar getting a job or foregoing your benefit. In fact, once you’re on ND, you’re stuck on it, or something similar, until you find work—if you’ve failed to do so after the 13-week duration, you’re put onto something else… and so on, and so on, ad nauseum.
Anyway, the only other option is to go on the sick. In my case, if my GP was agreeable, it would be for stress. Yep, that’s right: stress these people have caused. You’re either sick or your life revolves around finding a job. No other options, screw individual circumstances, end of story.
Ever heard the word preposterous?
So I’m giving it some thought. The manager gave me the rest of the week off to sit and ponder it all. I’m really not happy about it. It strikes me as fairly unethical and basically a piss-poor excuse for the system failing to show any respect for the individual.
Currently, I’m thinking about trying seriously to sell myself as a freelance Web designer. I was inclined to relax while collecting my thoughts about this, but it’s starting to seem a matter of urgency that I get myself out of this system as soon as possible.
I’ll write about something else (for a change) next time…