New Deal and Flexible New Deal Exposed

Why is directgov website so fucking shit?!

Today I had the problem of… not being able to search for jobs near me. It recognises Ipswich. After Ipswich I try the local places, so I choose Colchester… the next nearest (rather big) town, I am displayed with the following message:

Sorry, the postcode you have entered has not been recognised by the Jobcentre Plus database. Please try again using a town name or partial postcode e.g. ‘NE1′.

I never even entered a post code! Felixstowe works fine, try Colchester again afterwards, the same problem.

Anyone else get this? (any place of course)

if thats all he has to say let him sell his own magazines,locally the only seller looks in appearance to a romanian gypsy,i have never bought it as probably most people,its doubtful if this magazine has any real meaning to tackling the issues which it proports to support.

A random Big Issue success story: Calvin Driver

( http://www.bigissue.com/Calvin_Driver_51.php )

Was from Nottingham, had a marriage break up and distanced from his kids.

* Moved to London (maybe few other places before that) … sold Big Issue… (once!)
* Moved to Manchester… sold Big Issue (twice!)
* Went up North… sold Big Issue (third time now!)
* Moved to Birmingham… secured himself a job (well done him!) but left after he was assaulted (JOBCENTRE PLUS REFUSED HIM BENEFITS (GAVE HIM A SANCTION) AS THOUGHT LEAVING A JOB AFTER BEING ASSAULTED WASN’T A GOOD ENOUGH REASON)
* Turned back to Big Issue and became a Vendor Co-ordinatior (whether this is a paid job or voluntary I dont know) (forth time!)

THIS TIME AND ONLY THIS TIME (after becoming a vendor co-ordinator) the Big Issue Foundation came to his rescue and helped addressed his housing needs with hostel accommodation. This was followed by permanent and secure accommodation at “Clays Lane Housing Cooperative”.

—–

My concerns are with:

Do vendors have to sign up to become a “Vendor Co-ordinator” (which I assume is a voluntary position working for the commercial business and not the Foundation) in order to get any support from the Big Issue Foundation?

If so, this is a major flaw. The Foundation isn’t helping the homeless, they aren’t even helping the vendors, of course apart from a selected few who work for them.

Replies to this comment welcomed.