Jobs for year 11?

[Hairydogmummy]

Mums of year 11s...do your DCs have jobs? Are they going to get one? What sort of thing? I had encouraged my DS16 to get one in a restaurant or shop before all this and have since suggested something outdoor like fruit picking but there's only one small fruit farm near us and they have no vacancies. I don't know whether to suggest a supermarket but when I said it to DM it was as if I was suggesting he go and work on a corona ward! He's not massively keen himself but that's laziness more than anything. I don't want him kicking his heels at home from now till September some jobs don't exist at the moment and others might seem a bit risky? I don't know. I'm a teacher and some of my students are working in supermarkets and care homes pretty much full time. He wants a car later this year and though he has some savings to put towards car and insurance, I have said I will only help with lessons and running costs rather than pay for everything so he will need an income for that.

paper round... pickforbritain.org keeps crashing, now there's a surprise, but maybe something will appear there.

15yo DS had work experience at garden centre & was very bored but might consider applying when they reopen. There's so little available that they can do (too young to be paid carers). On govt findajob website, there are 99 jobs advertised within 10 miles of my postcode.
49 healthcare & nursing
21 social work
29 other, including 2 HGV drivers, teacher, engineers...

I've now got onto pickforbritain: all live in jobs, all summer, far from here, adults only. So that's no good!

He's still got school work at the moment (mainly past papers for exams he isn't sitting) and we're keeping him busy with jobs around the house and garden but will need to find something. When I was that age, a lot of kids got jobs through parents or friends. It's a lot easier to just apply for stuff when you're 18.

Round us a lot of A level students have part time jobs.
But they are often in cafes or similar, and are thus probably non existent at the moment.
What about casual leaflet delivery? You probably have a facebook group for that kind of thing locally?

My ds (now yr 12) was a lifeguard from late Nov of yr 11 having turned 16 in Sep and completed the course in Oct.
Not very helpful in the current situation, he's on a zero hours contract and they haven't been furloughed (which they could have been), instead they just aren't being required to do any hours.

He worked a bit over the end of yr 11 summer, but actually less that he'd done thought yr 11, and I was happy for him to have the summer off.

Hi, I have come across a course that teaches teens about money. My DD is really enjoying it. Each month they teach her about a new topic and even give her ideas on how she can earn money. I think I will get in trouble posting a link so DM me if you ar interested.

@Chasingsquirrels that sounds good, if it becomes a possibility again, he a very strong swimmer so would be up his street I think. He's good with money and did a course at school @SteveC123 but thanks anyway. He never spends a penny!

I think this idea that teenage DC need to be working as soon as possible is a ridiculous. They're going to be spending 50 years of their lives in work, so I don't see the rush to start at 15.

It is difficult enough to balance doing well at school with extra curriculars and social life without adding work so it's not something I've encouraged my DC to do at that age- DS1 graduated from uni and then started a great job so it certainly hasn't dented his work ethic.

Particularly with the risks at the moment, I wouldn't want my DC working in a supermarket.

He's still got school work at the moment (mainly past papers for exams he isn't sitting).

Why has the school decided to do that, I wonder? Ds school never really set any work for Yr 11 after the schools closed, and when GCSEs were cancelled, it seemed to be accepted that yr11 had finished. There has been some transition reading set for 6th Form, I believe.

I don't disagree @HakeFish. I didn't have a job either at 16 and they do need time for social life and study but he doesn't have much social life. In fact, during the hols he tends not to see anyone and it's hard to get him out of the house except with us! He's 17 in November and we can't afford to pay for car and running costs he wants. He would not be doing many hours at all once A levels start. I'm a teacher of A level and I find that kids choose to work often advice of parents because they want the clothes, social life etc which then impacts on their academic achievement. It's v frustrating. @WatcherintheRye I agree. We've done same at our school but are now providing bridging work to A levels. His school seemed a bit over zealous. They can choose to sit them in November if they don't like their grades so I guess they had that in mind. If kept him focussed anyway. I'm quite worried what he'll do once he has much less school work.

Yes, I've just been having to treat this as a huge summer holiday, @Hairydogmummy. Ds certainly is. I almost wish the school had kept on setting past papers which had to be done. I think he would have huffed and puffed, but done them, if the expectation was there from school. I told him he will have forgotten how to study by the time he goes back - slightly tongue-in-cheek, but it is a worry!

@SteveC123 Do let us know the link to the course about money. It may be good for my 15 yo

I don't know about what would be available now but my 17 year old worked as a lifeguard just doing one shift a week but more in holidays. She got paid quite well for it and is now 'furloughed' and still getting paid quite well. She also did a lot of babysitting, which since A levels ramped up the 15 year old took over quite a bit of. The 15 year old is in year 11 and pre-lockdown worked as a dance teacher one evening a week because she's been with the studio for years. Again paid well and got her some free dance classes which saved me money! I know her friends had jobs in cafes, washing up in pubs, and at the fish and chip shop.

My 13 year old amusingly had the best job for lockdown: walking our elderly neighbour's dog, which has obviously continued but now she also does bits of shopping as well so sometimes gets paid even more! She also does cricket scores with her friend at the local cricket club that the 17 year old's boyfriend plays for so is pretty set for her age.

I think it depends where you live as to what's available. Mine are all sensible with their money - the 17 year old was spending a lot of hers on a summer interrailing trip and a holiday to Greece that are now not happening which is a shame.

You sound pretty sorted @RoiseCap shame about the holiday though. I wouldn't have been brave enough at that age but wish I had! DS16 is very good with money in terms of saving it up but he will need more if he wants to run a car. DSD15 on the other hand is more like me. Cash = clothing and make up vouchers. She has it spent immediately she gets it! I'm going to get DS to do lots of research and write it all down so he can see how expensive it is to run a car. I need to start a thread on insurance for 17 year olds! In my day, everyone was named driver on a parents policy even if it was their car. Can't get away with that any more!

DS had a job lined up as a helper in local playscheme. I assume that is off now. I think the problem is that any job that would take a 16 year old is also now going to be potentially a target for those that have recently lost their jobs. his friends that had jobs worked in restaurants or shops (which wouldn't take them until they were 16) so not available as an option now.

I think the problem is that any job that would take a 16 year old is also now going to be potentially a target for those that have recently lost their jobs.

^ This.
I've been teaching my y 11 DC cooking and other housekeeping skills. When I / we go back to work, DC is running the day to day of the home incl. cooking cleaning & laundry for enhanced pocket money so they can go out and enjoy themselves if it's allowed...
I hope DC finds a little job, but in the current climate I think it's very difficult.