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AIBU?

to think that people who are well enough to volunteer stewarding at Festivals every single weekend are well enough to work?

274 replies

TalkinPeace · 07/07/2015 08:36

Person has never worked due to MH and back pain - both of which are directly linked to morbid obesity.
Tells the MH people they are agarophobic, but seem OK in a field all weekend every weekend

and are thus getting into festivals for free when other people have to pay

the whole lot being funded by benefits.

The person is nice enough but if I put it on my FB feed they will see and realise I'm being judgy.
But am I being unreasonable to be annoyed?

OP posts:
whois · 07/07/2015 08:39

Yes absulfuckinglootly if you can pull an couple of 8h shifts in a festival over a weekend you can hold down a part time job.

TheHouseOnBellSt · 07/07/2015 08:41

Why would you put it on your facebook feed? Confused

If you think they are committing fraud then report them.

LaurieFairyCake · 07/07/2015 08:41

I think it's very difficult to tell what the real situation is and would refrain from judging

I also think standing in a field for a few hours is quite different from being able to work

They probably won't have more than 50 quid a week to live on - can't imagine their life is very good

woowoo22 · 07/07/2015 08:41

No idea. Don't know them or have access to their medical records or the ability to assess. Possibly they are taking the piss, possibly aren't.

RiverTam · 07/07/2015 08:42

On the face of it, yanbu.

Kamden · 07/07/2015 08:44

Don't know enough to judge.

AnyoneForTennis · 07/07/2015 08:52

Marshalling events is hard work! In our house I run the events and dd volunteers to marshall.... She's as knackered as me by the end of it!

TalkinPeace · 07/07/2015 08:52

The person is not committing fraud that I know.

But it does get a bit tiring on the FB every week with loads of pics of them having fun at festivals that those of us with jobs cannot afford the time and money to go to.

NB
They are on high level disability with full HB paid - they were joking about getting bumped up a rate

and seem to have lots of money to eat at the food places and drink in the bars over the weekends - pics show it.

I strongly suspect that they are not the only person "unable to work" who has the energy to party all weekend ....

OP posts:
EustaciaBenson · 07/07/2015 08:53

The back pain aside, I can quite easily see how someone with mental health problems could volunteer at a festival and not be able to cope with the stresses of a job. The agoraphobia could be linked to the stress of working. When they have a job and its causing them mental health issues they could get to the point where they cant leave the house.

I think you are looking at this too much from a physical point of view, can leave the house and volunteer for a weekend = can get a job, and less from a mental health point of view.

if she has been agoraphobic then itsmposssible that these festivals are a sign of an improvement in her mental health. It could be that its something shes wanted to do for so long shes managed to deal with her problems enough to do them. If thats the case she should be congratulated, no moaned about on facebook.

AuntyMag10 · 07/07/2015 08:53

Yanbu.

WhereYouLeftIt · 07/07/2015 08:54

"Agoraphobia is a fear of being in situations where escape might be difficult, or help wouldn't be available if things go wrong" according to www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Agoraphobia/Pages/Introduction.aspx.

So not necessarily the traditional idea of fear of open spaces. It may be at these festivals that she has support that she feels is reliable, and so can cope. The volunteering may actually help with their MH issues - and maybe they should do more non-festival volunteering.

While some people may be 'fit to work', that is not the same as 'fit to be employed'. Their other issues may make them unreliable, or so anxious that it pushes them into further MH issues.

So YABU.

AnyoneForTennis · 07/07/2015 08:56

eustacia clutching at straws there I think!

EustaciaBenson · 07/07/2015 08:56

And YABU mental health problems have nothing to do with energy for work, and a snapshot of someones life on facebook is hardly going to show you the grinding reality of her life.

mollyonthemove · 07/07/2015 08:57

Ok I have bitten. I work with people who are in a position where they really want to work but due to additional needs are finding it really difficult. We help them find volunteering and sometimes this includes one off events stewarding or helping out at festivals etc. This doesn't mean they are immediately able to get out and work full time but helps so much with confidence and experience. In your case, maybe they are swinging the lead but it really isn't always the case.

rookiemere · 07/07/2015 08:58

I can see how this would be annoying to see - can you block them from FB as she doesn't sound like an actual friend?

Frankly I'm surprised that they are still able to get benefits, I thought the Tories had been fairly Draconian in their reforms.

Greenrememberedhills · 07/07/2015 08:59

I find these sorts of threads really depressing. They have been examined by a doctor so it isn't your issue. If you think they have managed to commit fraud you are free to report it.

The benefits system had actually become a lot tighter from what I understand. And appeals are chaired by a lawyer and attended by a doctor as witness- they are impartial.

TalkinPeace · 07/07/2015 09:01

molly
This is every weekend since May ... not just this year but the last five or six
And they are listing the bands they want to see
I very much doubt the benefits people even know.

OP posts:
AnyoneForTennis · 07/07/2015 09:01

Getting there rookie

Let's see what happens once these new cuts are announced. It maybe that op friend can suddenly find and hold down a job

TheOrchardKeeper · 07/07/2015 09:02
Biscuit
sashh · 07/07/2015 09:03

I'm sure if they were to be paid for doing the exact same thing then maybe they would work. But is that work available.

Agoraphobia is not 'fear of open spaces' it is much more complex than that. My mother would happily go to France on holiday in the car with her dh and kids - that wasn't a problem.

Getting her to go on a bus and in to town to buy a pair of school shoes for - that took a massive effort, and if shoes were not available at one shop that could case a panic attack.

As for money for food - well a) is it that easy to take your own? Is it even allowed? and b) often volunteers get a voucher for food.

As for the MH being caused by 'morbid obesity' - er have you got a psychiatric qualification? Can you point me to a scientific paper about this problem?

TheOrchardKeeper · 07/07/2015 09:03

DS gets DLA and they are super tough about it/checking up on us.

If you think it's fraud report it, if not maybe stop making yourself bitter over it. It'll do you no good.

TheOrchardKeeper · 07/07/2015 09:04

And volunteers do usually get their dinner paid for as well as a drink or two in some festivals. My friend did it for Glastonbury and Reading Fest.

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BookSnark · 07/07/2015 09:04

Obviously it's hard to say from a distance - but I'd echo a pp that volunteering can be a gateway to work. Promising to turn up for a weekend is much less daunting than committing to something indefinitely - but it gets you in the swing of timekeeping, learning procedures, interacting with public etc. it also gives you something for your CV. I'd say that unless you know she's lying to the job centre - to keep your nose out of it.

NecklessMumster · 07/07/2015 09:07

It's really hard to get and keep benefits. And volunteering isn't getting in for free, it's working for nothing

SuburbanRhonda · 07/07/2015 09:07

Is this person being given money that would otherwise come to you?

If not, get off FB and enjoy life yourself.

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