To ask if anyone has worked for the DWP as a work coach?

[ChocolateMuffin7]

It's always something that I've been interested in, but I've put it off for years and now a position in my area has popped up. I would imagine you have to be quite a strong character to work in a role like that, to deal with some unpleasant and uncomfortable situations from time to time.

I claimed universal credit years ago, only briefly
but even then my work coach was an arse. He made me feel incredibly small and I felt that he was judging me just because I needed a bit of help. I think it's important to be a caring person, to have patience and empathy. I'm glad I experienced that years ago as I understand what it feels like to be made to like "scum of the earth" just because I needed some help for a short amount of time. I can't help but wonder how long term claimants feel.

If anyone has worked for the DWP, as a work coach I'd love to hear your experiences, good or bad also any tips and advice would be helpful!

Can I just remind anyone replying to this about the Civil Service code of conduct. Would hate for anything to end up in the press and for anyone to get into trouble.

@Yamashita40 apologies. I didn't realise, I didn't mean to cause offence. I just wanted to get some advice and hear other people's experiences and how they found working in the role

What do you envisage a job as a work coach doing?

None taken Choc. Just there is a very strict social media policy and it's safer not to talk about the work at all I find. There are thousands of new staff who might not have learnt that yet.

I'm sure civil servants are perfectly capable of either name changing or posting useful info without identifying themselves or anyone else @Yamashita40

OP I hope someone comes along with some information. I'm pretty sure there have been threads about this before, maybe if you do an advanced search you will find them.

I have a good friend who did for a short while but felt that the system was too restrictive to help those who really needed the most support and guidance. It also pushed people not ready towards work instead of valuing them and their contributions as members of society and/or community as a stepping stone to getting into work or even as an appropriate replacement for work when they were unlikely to ever be in a position to work.

She said you have to be really tough and able to switch off after work as it can haunt you.

It wasn’t the right job for her and she wasn’t meeting her targets that don’t exist so was invited to leave.

My work coach was a moron and told me I wasn’t “allowed” to choose to study instead of work! So I printed their own guidelines off and highlighted the appropriate points.
He believed the way out of poverty and off benefits was through minimum wage jobs and government top ups to the value of more than I earned (would have still been doing the same now) , well guess what just 3.5 years later I’m earning a graduate wage and no benefit top ups… fuck you work coach!

I was looking at doing this and have wanted to do it for years, match the job criteria perfectly, but i've recently had to sign on, and the way I was treat in the beginning was appalling, treat like a criminal. I also had to go for a face to face appointment. It was such a depressing atmosphere. Everyone dead silent, no talking at all, everyone looked miserable. Also had 3 staff saying nasty stuff about my job coach whilst I was waiting for my appointment.

(Also, you might have more luck looking through/posting on the work page.)