I have been a participant in Reed in Partnership’s Restart programme since late 2024, after being referred by my Jobcentre work coach. Initially, I was genuinely optimistic. The programme was described as offering tailored 1:1 employment coaching, wellbeing support, and funding for training aligned with my goals — all of which sounded like a much-needed stepping stone back into meaningful work.Unfortunately, my experience has fallen far short of those expectations.It has become increasingly clear that the programme is more focused on meeting internal KPIs than delivering sustainable outcomes for participants. Much of the support feels like a tick-box exercise aimed at securing government funding, rather than providing genuine help to jobseekers.While I understand experiences may vary, I’ve been repeatedly let down by my assigned work coach, who has shown little interest in my progress or aspirations. My interactions with other members of the team have also been underwhelming.One recent example was the so-called “Restart Training Programme,” advertised as a three-day course covering CV writing, interview prep, and job search strategies. In reality, each session lasted just 90 minutes. The facilitator openly admitted shortening it because “no one wants to be here for three full days.” The content was basic and disengaging — at one point we watched a video identifying jobs in different industries, but no effort was made to understand our backgrounds or ambitions. The facilitator spent more time discussing conspiracy theories and Elon Musk than offering anything remotely useful. It was both frustrating and demoralising.In November, my work coach told me she had referred me for wellbeing support following the death of a close family member. I followed up several times over the following months, each time she seemed to have forgotten she had made the referral but assured me she would contact the wellbeing team. After raising a formal complaint two weeks ago, I finally received a call from the wellbeing team. It’s disheartening to think that only a complaint prompted any action after seven months of delay.My attempts to access training have also been blocked. Every request has been denied without explanation, and despite asking for guidance on what training has previously been approved, I’ve received no response.In eight months, my work coach has only sent me three job listings — all completely inappropriate, either based in entirely different cities or in sectors I have no experience in, like catering and cleaning.It’s difficult to see how this programme benefits participants. If it weren’t mandatory, I suspect few people would willingly stay. It’s disappointing that such substantial public resources aren’t being invested in organisations that actually care about helping people back into meaningful employment.
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