By Maeve McGoldrick
Personalised service = zero human interaction. An online welfare system; modern, instant and resistant to human frustration or despair: the computer says no. I just read today’s announcements by Jim Knight MP, the employment minister about improving the Jobcentre’s service. If you have a lack of computer skills you will get a technologies budget to get internet access at home and training in computer skills. He also went on to say that the Jobcentre Plus measures it success in the number of people get gets into a sustainable job.
Last week a group of local volunteers got together with local unemployed people from Canning Town as part of the Need NOT Greed campaigning groups. One guy had been unemployed since the 80’s and told us how he struggled to apply for jobs as the Jobcentre adverts often only provide emails, not phone numbers to call.
Today I spoke to a local grassroots campaigner who needed £20 to pay his agreed debt payments or the bailiffs would be round tomorrow, eviction just in time for Christmas. He was looking for a cash-in-hand job to earn the emergency £20, and had one lined up but the rain meant it had been called off. The weather man tells us the rain isn’t likely to look any better over the coming months. Neither is his situation.
On Monday I heard a rumour that there would be an announcement from Jim Knight by the end of this week about improving the service and efficiency at the Jobcentre. Immediately some recent reports sprung to mind Working Alongside, produced with ATD and both People of Influence and Time Well Spent from the Council on Social Action. I emailed Jim Knight’s private office about the announcement and included Working Alongside to contribute some recommendations from individuals who had experienced the service themselves. I got no response. Frustrated I picked up the phone to call, I was told the appropriate person would call back. In despair I read the announcements this morning.
Online activity is great; we use it regularly at Community Links as part of our Need NOT Greed campaign and Chain Reaction social network. It is great to share government and grassroots activists voices, to link people up and to support people. However accessing benefits online and applying for jobs online will not deal with the multiple complex problems that the most vulnerable face, like the two people I met just over the past week.
Bringing in a move like this is important, so that the 21% of UK adults who have never used the internet are not even more excluded in 10 years time. However “personalised” online efficiency is not the same as “humanised” one-to-one support. Consider Dell, I have been requiring their services recently because of a laptop problem that I have no understanding of. Most of us have experienced something similar. When dealing with new, complex issues that we have no, or very limited experience of, the first thing people want is someone to speak with directly, in a language they understand and to have confidence in their competency. If I had to entirely fix my own computer, by myself online – honestly I probably wouldn’t do it. On the other hand I’d prefer to search for employment on line. The welfare system is catering for incredibly complex needs and, yes, government actions on digital inclusion are excellent, but it should not mean sacrificing the vital one-to-one support that is needed and gives results.
