Unemployment

Hey everyone 

This post is going to be a bit of a rant, so here it goes. 

I am 23 and I have never worked and not by choice. When I left school at 16 I went to college for 2 years to study my diploma in child care and education. Once I finished college I spent a year trying to find a job but failed to get employment and had to claim job seekers during that year.

I then decided to go back to college and do another course for 2 years because I was so frustrated with the job market. During those 2 years I was getting money for being in full time  education so I didn't have to claim benefits. 

Once the 2 years where finished I was back to square 1 again. I spent another year on job seekers then I was sent to a place called wade training to do a steps to work course which was really useful as I learned interviewing skills, how to fill in an application form properly and they also helped me to write up a CV. After completing this course I still didn't gain employment. 

This time last year I was accepted by the Trust to do a six month administration placement in a local hospital. I started my placement in March 2013 and I loved every minute of that placement and was sad when it ended in September. Now I'm back to signing on every fortnight and job searching every minute of every day. 

I don't like being on benefits and I am sick and tired of having people calling me lazy and that I need to get out and work. I would love to have a job and be in a proper routine like I was before my placement ended. Do people really think that I like living on benefits? I get £56 a week. Does that really make people think that I enjoy living on benefits with that amount of money every week? People like Katie Hopkins makes my blood boil because they have no idea what it's like to be on benefits and what it's like to be rejected every day by employers because they won't give you a chance just because you don't have the experience. How can someone have any experience when no one will give them a job to gain any. I'm 23 and have no social life. I can't go out every weekend and have a drink with friends or go on holidays with them because I have no money. I have had my driving license for nearly 5 years and don't have a car and haven't driven for a long time all because I am unemployed and claiming job seekers allowance.

All I want is a job with a decent wage so I can move into my own house, get a car and get my social life back. Is that so much to ask for? People need to think before they form an opinion on people who claim benefits because it's no walk in the park. Remember that not everyone who claims benefits are sponging the system. 

Hayley xxx