Relentless
Active member
- Joined
- Jan 14, 2012
- Messages
- 36
- Reaction score
- 0
Heys,
I've been working as a community care worker for an agency the past 1.2 years. It was always meant to be an interim job until I sorted out what course of action I would take with regard to an actual career.
Started off quite well, I was getting plenty hours (or "calls", we only get paid by the call, not the time we are out or travelling between calls) as they were extremely understaffed and naturally I was pleased to even have a job at all in the current economy as a young person (I was 19 at the time, now 20). The last 7 months however things have been going downhill. I was only getting 4-5 hours of calls a day, despite having to get up for 6am every morning, an hours travel by bus, to be in to do just 3-5 morning calls. Then either go home or stay out for 3-4 hours waiting round to start my tea/bed calls getting home at 8 - 9:30pm. I was also being asked to travel ridiculous distances between some calls (I don't have a car) even though I was assured this would not be the case when I took the job on. Further the office staff (It's only got about 5 office staff), are plainly incompetent. You can't communicate with them at all, because nothing you say has effect. You could say to them "Ok I'll cover this call for this week but I can't do it next week" and they'll say "Ok thats fine" and lo-and-behold, it's on your rota the next week. I get complaints from clients that "Your office is useless" etc. I can't go into much detail or the OP will be tl;dr and some of it is confidential.
I tolerated a lot for a long time but since I've started standing up for myself and telling them many significant issues are bothering me and that I am not willing to walk ridiculous distances between calls they seem to have taken a dislike to me, and have resorted to treating me like a fool. Further, though this was never an issue for myself, carework is a largely thankless job by some clients and in particular society as a whole. I basically work for significantly less than minimum wage (via what is essentially a flamboyant loophole) for doing a vital job whilst putting up with so much adversity and it's sick.
Plainly, it is getting me down on all possible levels. Alturistic rewards aside.
Most of my money comes from a single night (10 hour shift 10pm to 8am) which I get paid £68.60 - a shift in which I am responsible, potentially - for 79 residents in an emergency, I am the only one onsite.. The rest of the week (mon, tue, wed) I get £65 (Yes, over those THREE DAYS) and I have told them that this is unnaceptable for months. To me £60-90 is a day's work, not three days.
As a result, I've handed in 4 weeks notice that I will only be availible to work for them two days a week (Saturday overnight shift that I do of which I get paid for the full 10 hours I am out working, and Sunday Tea's + beds) and I am currently seeking a second job.
However, I worry about references, money and getting a new job in this economy. I also feel stuck as a result of the culture within the organisation. I'm only 20 and I feel a blemish on my employment so young will haunt me for years. I feel boxed in already, and all for simply wishing to work.
I figured a job was better than no job, and yet I feel exploited every single day I go to work, even though what they are doing is perefectly legal.
I wish to escape, escape the entire industry, because in my appraisal - it is parasitic on all levels in it's current format. It banks on desperate employees, under the oath and naturaly implored to serve the equally desperate and needy - to generate margins for a conglomerate. At the same time, I don't want to damage my employability or be dishonest (ie. omit them from employment history) or tell them exactly what I think of them.
Care should not be commercialised. I know my own company got it's local tender because it undercut all others - no other reason.
This is a vile - yet accurate reflection of society and it's priorities in modernity.
Any advice?
Cheers
I've been working as a community care worker for an agency the past 1.2 years. It was always meant to be an interim job until I sorted out what course of action I would take with regard to an actual career.
Started off quite well, I was getting plenty hours (or "calls", we only get paid by the call, not the time we are out or travelling between calls) as they were extremely understaffed and naturally I was pleased to even have a job at all in the current economy as a young person (I was 19 at the time, now 20). The last 7 months however things have been going downhill. I was only getting 4-5 hours of calls a day, despite having to get up for 6am every morning, an hours travel by bus, to be in to do just 3-5 morning calls. Then either go home or stay out for 3-4 hours waiting round to start my tea/bed calls getting home at 8 - 9:30pm. I was also being asked to travel ridiculous distances between some calls (I don't have a car) even though I was assured this would not be the case when I took the job on. Further the office staff (It's only got about 5 office staff), are plainly incompetent. You can't communicate with them at all, because nothing you say has effect. You could say to them "Ok I'll cover this call for this week but I can't do it next week" and they'll say "Ok thats fine" and lo-and-behold, it's on your rota the next week. I get complaints from clients that "Your office is useless" etc. I can't go into much detail or the OP will be tl;dr and some of it is confidential.
I tolerated a lot for a long time but since I've started standing up for myself and telling them many significant issues are bothering me and that I am not willing to walk ridiculous distances between calls they seem to have taken a dislike to me, and have resorted to treating me like a fool. Further, though this was never an issue for myself, carework is a largely thankless job by some clients and in particular society as a whole. I basically work for significantly less than minimum wage (via what is essentially a flamboyant loophole) for doing a vital job whilst putting up with so much adversity and it's sick.
Plainly, it is getting me down on all possible levels. Alturistic rewards aside.
Most of my money comes from a single night (10 hour shift 10pm to 8am) which I get paid £68.60 - a shift in which I am responsible, potentially - for 79 residents in an emergency, I am the only one onsite.. The rest of the week (mon, tue, wed) I get £65 (Yes, over those THREE DAYS) and I have told them that this is unnaceptable for months. To me £60-90 is a day's work, not three days.
As a result, I've handed in 4 weeks notice that I will only be availible to work for them two days a week (Saturday overnight shift that I do of which I get paid for the full 10 hours I am out working, and Sunday Tea's + beds) and I am currently seeking a second job.
However, I worry about references, money and getting a new job in this economy. I also feel stuck as a result of the culture within the organisation. I'm only 20 and I feel a blemish on my employment so young will haunt me for years. I feel boxed in already, and all for simply wishing to work.
I figured a job was better than no job, and yet I feel exploited every single day I go to work, even though what they are doing is perefectly legal.
I wish to escape, escape the entire industry, because in my appraisal - it is parasitic on all levels in it's current format. It banks on desperate employees, under the oath and naturaly implored to serve the equally desperate and needy - to generate margins for a conglomerate. At the same time, I don't want to damage my employability or be dishonest (ie. omit them from employment history) or tell them exactly what I think of them.
Care should not be commercialised. I know my own company got it's local tender because it undercut all others - no other reason.
This is a vile - yet accurate reflection of society and it's priorities in modernity.
Any advice?
Cheers
