So what happens to New Deal that should have been replaced by Flexible New Deal that now will be replaced by Works Programme??
Submitted by Alison.M on Mon, 14/06/2010 - 1:59pm
I currently deliver Literacy and Numeracy on the New Deal programme. We always knew that this programme would end this October and were led to believe that it would be replaced by the Flexible New Deal. With all that out the window, what happens in the meantime BEFORE the new, all encompassing contract comes in next summer?
As far as I am aware all current New Deal contracts are being rolled over so everyone continues as they are. DWP are having meetings with individual providers to discuss the details over the next few weeks.
So i won't even end up on Flexible New Deal then? Phoned the New Deal department at my job centre today, due to a problem with my payment. I spoke to a supervisor as my adviser was off, while on the phone i asked her what exactly i'm on at the moment with Flexible New Deal coming in - she said that it's not happening anymore and that there's a bit of limbo at the moment, so until they know exactly what's happening i just continue seeing my current New Deal adviser. I'm on the old New Deal.
Like Alison above, I currently deliver Literacy and Numeracy on the New Deal programme. What concerns me is how we are to continue to deliver meaningful skills development in these two important areas (and meet 'target' expectations) when the contact time has been halved from 26 weeks to just 13!
Since the 70% qualification target has always been the poor cousin of the 40% job entry target and given that DWP has miserably failed to understand that the skills customer group tends to be one of the most significantly disadvantaged within the labour market I think you are supposed to put a sticking plaster on the numeracy or literacy needs, train them enough to pass one on-line test (ignore the fact that passing the test doesn't necessarily mean that the customer 'understands' the questions) and then concentrate on developing the customers employability instead. The fact that developing both goes hand in hand with a customers prospect of sustaining employment has failed to compute.
I have been on the new deal for 3 weeks now and find it a waste of time.
As it ends soon no one is bothered. I am on the computers for about 30 mins
A day as most sites are blocked even some job sites and the other time is spent on doing nothing this is nothing to do with the People giving the courses its down to the new deal 6 hours a day is just to long. I got a lot more info from my first week in induction than than I have from my last 2 weeks respect to the woman that gave the induction as I was treated like an adult and not a 5 year old