To think being forced to get a job when a student is ridiculous?

[onedaybabywelbeold]

I am a 29 year old single mum, I have just finished my 3rd year at uni and going into my honours year. I worked for 10 years full time before going back to education. During the term year I receive student loan which is topped up by universal credit. I have about 1100 pounds to do me for the month so it's doable but tight.

Now that uni is finished for the summer I am obviously getting more universal credit to see me through. However, today I had to meet with my work coach and he told me I should be job hunting for a job over the summer and should treat job hunting as a full time job.

I told him that I might struggle to get a job as I can only work during the hours my daughter is in school, I have no one to help me and she finished school for the summer end of June. Also I told him it would be hard to get a job as I would be leaving again in September, to which he suggested I stay in a job whilst at uni as 'you don't really have to do much work until the end of the year'.

To be honest I don't really want to work when at uni, I mean I wouldn't be any better off than I would be on universal credit yet running with a substantial decrease in time so why would I? Honesty I don't understand the point in this, surely it's just wasting employers time as I'm not very serious about getting a job as I don't have the childcare. However, I'm worried that if I don't get a job they'll start reducing my payment.

AIBU to think the system is absolutely fucked?

If you don't want to work that fine don't work. But also don't claim benefits paid for by working people. I'm sure we'd all love to not work over the summer, but we have to earn a wage. Benefits are there to support you while you're finding work. If you're not finding work then don't claim. The entitlement of you pisses me off. And you're training to be a social worker with such a self entitled selfish attitude?!! I already feel sorry for the people you'll be responsible for.

How dare they expect you to work! You sound very entitled.

I didn’t work in term time and most students at my uni didn’t. But I worked seven days a week (one full time job and one each weekend day) through the holidays in order to fund not working during the term. I didn’t have a child though so it was easier for me.

If you can’t get childcare then obviously you can’t work. However, your attitude that you shouldn’t have to work, and if you do it has to be something you’re interested in, is really aggravating. Most students don’t enjoy the work they do to support themselves, but you do it because you need to and because it’s not right to expect society to fund you when you’re capable of working. The benefits system is not there to help those who can work but chose not to - if you can’t because your childcare issues make it impossible then as a taxpayer I’m happy to support you, if it’s just because you can’t be bothered and think you’re too good for it then you need to readjust your attitude.

I cant see how the OP can do a social work degree, take care of her child, run a house AND do a job? As a lone parent surely this would really impact her child?
...just like every other working single mother then?

This is me,I went back to university aged 21 with a baby having done my 1st year. It can be done, I was a stupid useless girl and I sorted everything very quickly because I had to.

[quote onedaybabywelbeold]@Waxonwaxoff0 well for one I will be working in a job I actually enjoy and interests me rather than stocking shelves or cleaning. Secondly I will be making a wage that is worth my while to actually work and be able to pay childcare. Working part time and paying childcare would make me come out worse off [/quote]
Wow OP looking down on those stacking shelves and cleaning as if you are too good to do it. Those people doing those jobs are the ones funding your universal credit

Wonder what sort of jobs op did before she started her Uni course?

Course you should be working. Most people that I knew at uni had jobs while studying.

I cant see how the OP can do a social work degree, take care of her child, run a house AND do a job? As a lone parent surely this would really impact her child?
...just like every other working single mother then?

So another child should suffer, and another single parent should struggle on?
I do empathise with those who do have to juggle these things but not everyone has free childcare in the form of friends and family.
If she was to work then majority of her wages will pay childcare

I’m really loving the way everyone feels the need to point out that they had a job when they were at uni when most of them didn’t have kids at that point. Particularly loving the posters announcing how inspiring and rewarding it was to do bar work/ night shifts. Because finding overnight childcare is a piece of piss, obviously 🙄.

I’m also loving the posters calling a single mum who studies full time, has placements AND volunteers lazy. Yeah, no work ethic or desire to self improve at all there 🙄

I'm a frontline social worker, qualified practice educator meaning I supervise students on their placements. I can't think of one (there's been a mix of single parents, parents with partners at home, mature students, younger ones etc) who did not work alongside their studies, even whilst on placements. They simply had to to afford to live. Most did social work related things, such as shifts in children's homes, supervising contact, relief support work so looks great on CVs too.
ASYE year, you work full time and the rest to complete your portfolio. Its tough, relentless but entirely doable. Me and my colleagues all did it, all still standing and I'm sure better social workers for it.
If you can afford not to work, that's a luxury, don't complain that you at least have to pretend to try to be entitled to benefits many would be very thankful of alongside studying.
Remember these comments when you're on first placement and a service user your trying to help empower to change their life complains about how it's 'not worth it'.

If she had no children then I'd say yes, work. If she had support of her childs father I'd say yes, go to work. But I think the sw degree is too heavy to do without childcare support.

@Galaxyinmypocket

I cant see how the OP can do a social work degree, take care of her child, run a house AND do a job? As a lone parent surely this would really impact her child? ...just like every other working single mother then?

So another child should suffer, and another single parent should struggle on?
I do empathise with those who do have to juggle these things but not everyone has free childcare in the form of friends and family.
If she was to work then majority of her wages will pay childcare

If she works she will get up to 85% of childcare covered by Universal credit so her wages will not be just covering childcare.

@Galaxyinmypocket

I cant see how the OP can do a social work degree, take care of her child, run a house AND do a job? As a lone parent surely this would really impact her child? ...just like every other working single mother then?

So another child should suffer, and another single parent should struggle on?
I do empathise with those who do have to juggle these things but not everyone has free childcare in the form of friends and family.
If she was to work then majority of her wages will pay childcare

Her child will suffer by her doing a couple of days for during the 10 week summer break ???

Oh @Babyroobs I didnt know the costs would be covered.

Why does your DD finish school end of June? Do you mean end of July?

So another child should suffer, and another single parent should struggle on?
I do empathise with those who do have to juggle these things but not everyone has free childcare in the form of friends and family.
If she was to work then majority of her wages will pay childcare
No, not everyone has free childcare. I don't, every hour that my children are not with me is paid for. And yes, childcare costs are atrocious. But paying them comes as a package with being a parent and a responsible adult, I guess.

[quote onedaybabywelbeold]@Waxonwaxoff0 well for one I will be working in a job I actually enjoy and interests me rather than stocking shelves or cleaning. Secondly I will be making a wage that is worth my while to actually work and be able to pay childcare. Working part time and paying childcare would make me come out worse off [/quote]
YABU. Why should you expect to be paid benefits to enjoy a nice long summer holiday, just because you had children and you think you are too good to stack shelves (you're not)? You decided to give up work to go to university, so why should the benefits system be expected to pay for your choices.

If you’re doing your 4th year placement and it’s an extra long one because of Covid, it’s not really feasible to work if you’re a single parent. Placement is for 6 months and Mon-Fri 9-5, you would only be able to work weekends. When would you see your child and when would you find the time to study or do your dissertation? I think people don’t understand the enormity of a SW placement compared to nursing ones. There’s not much scope for doing back shifts, nights or weekends. We were told in year 1 to get our “ducks in a row” for 3rd/4th year money wise as we wouldn’t be able to work for 4-6 months out of the year. I don’t know many employers who would take on an employee that can only commit to working part of the year.

And it’s also not just as easy as finding a job to cover for the summer. Summer is only a few weeks long in uni terms, I can’t imagine it would be of benefit to you, your child or an employer for you to bother going through an interview process, waiting for references and then any training that needs to be given before you start, you’d be back at uni by then 🤷🏽‍♀️

@Clymene

Why does your DD finish school end of June? Do you mean end of July?

Scottish schools finish at the end of June. So do Northern Irish school.

Given that the OP has said she has done 3 years already and is going back for a 4th year and Hons, I'm assuming she's in Scotland.

So what do you do for Childcare when you’re at Uni?

I did part-time foundation degree, alongside a full time job whilst raising dc. Why shouldn’t you work? Majority of people have to work a part time job at uni unless they are fortunate and have independent financial support.

Plenty of people I know studied and raised children and worked. It can be done if you decide to read your subject after children come along.

AIBU to think the system is absolutely fucked? I think this is a bit of a stretch - you basically get supported by the state to study and being asked to work a little doesn't mean the system is fucked. Grow up and realise other tax payers are paying towards your choices.

@SerendipitousMe several of us responding HAVE BEEN single mum students and fairly recently too so we DO know what we're talking about. Others have current/recent experience of the benefits system and uc.

It's not "sanctimonious" to point out the ops general poor attitude to...well life actually!

And as she is apparently going to be a sw and supposedly supporting people experiencing much greater hardship than this and juggling far more responsibility and demands on their time I think she needs to learn before she is in contact with those clients to have a generally better attitude to life and a better understanding of what REAL hardship IS

Part of being a good SW is working within a flawed system, telling the truth, taking responsibility, owning up if there are mistakes.

Extremely well said @MrsTerryPratchett

My mate assesses placements and someone with an attitude like this wouldn't pass. Thank goodness.

We can only hope

All the people smugly pointing out how they worked in a factory as a student, were you also a single parent?

Yes I was

HANDS UP ALL THE SINGLE PARENTS 🖐

HANDS UP ALL THOSE WHO WERE STUDENTS AND SINGLE PARENTS AT THE SAME TIME AND WORKED DURING UNI ✋

I had no support network, no family nearby or anything

and my deposit was over £60,000 where do YOU live if that was just the deposit?! Where I live that's enough to buy cash! Albeit a small flat but still...

Other social workers are also saying they worked while training

Do people realise that when people doing vocational courses are on placement, they have to do their university work alongside working full time?

Yes, my first degree was in nursing and I did bank work

OP volunteers though, so presumably has something childcare-wise in place for that.

Yep!

Wonder what sort of jobs op did before she started her Uni course?

If thread is genuine I'm wondering if she worked at all in the past

And I'm deeply offended by the idea that my child SUFFERED because I went to uni, worked and improved our lot! Wtf! My child did very well thank you and is about to complete her own 1st year of study and I'm incredibly proud of the woman she has become.

Remember these comments when you're on first placement and a service user your trying to help empower to change their life complains about how it's 'not worth it

Absolutely! The current and future hypocrisy is quite astounding!

Op. Of course not. Like you said, why should you work.
I unfortunately am ill and cannot work. I would love to be able to work and earn £1100. A month. You worked for 10 years ?
I lost my home after working for aŕound 35/40 hours because I couldn't afford the rent. I wouldnt be expecting any one else to keep me if there was any alternative.

@forinborin

*So another child should suffer, and another single parent should struggle on? I do empathise with those who do have to juggle these things but not everyone has free childcare in the form of friends and family. If she was to work then majority of her wages will pay childcare* No, not everyone has free childcare. I don't, every hour that my children are not with me is paid for. And yes, childcare costs are atrocious. But paying them comes as a package with being a parent and a responsible adult, I guess.

OP can apparently find childcare to volunteer though.