Hello all ,

i introduced myself as a new member a few days ago and since in that post i mentioned that i volunteer , and i was hoping to get back to work.
A couple of people expressed interest in what i have done and whet i intend to do ......so sit down and i will tell you all about it :)

I used to be a copier engineer until December 2007 when i was dismissed from a job , basically for having too much time off . The job involved driving all over the south east , and bending a lot and using hand tools. My feet went "dead" with all the driving and i got really tired all the time , plus i had difficulty using the tools .

I went onto JSA , but also started investigations into what was wrong ( i will try to keep the medical details to a minimum).
I also volunteered at an alcohol and drug abuse drop in , and became more involved there .While i was there i started to look into Benefits rights and responsibilities for service users via the internet , and found the subject fascinating and complicated.
I went onto claim incapacity benefit around October 2009 after accepting the fact i was too ill to do a full job .

In Feb 2009 i applied and started as a Trainee Advisor at CAB. They also had no Social Policy coordinator, so as i had an interest i said yes:)
(Social Policy is one of the main aspects of CAB , and important as the advice to the public. It involves being able to tell peoples stories and use them as evidence to various reports and Government Consultations . )

The role of advisor is great , puts your own life into perspective , and at my Bureau is extremely flexible .You are constantly learning new things and you get a lot out of it as well as giving a ,lot back to the local community . I would recommend it to anyone . I am lucky in that my Bureau is literally 100 yards from my house ;).
As i have an interest in welfare rights , and getting a job in that role , i have been allowed to specialise in that subject and now pick up any non legally aid able ESA appeals etc

As social policy coordinator i have managed to increase the amount of written evidence we send to National CAB immensely , and have had four pieces of my evidence used verbatim in reports to the DWP , and other consultations . It has also given me a great Knowledge of current and forthcoming legislation.

I am now a trained advisor ..yes it took me over a year ( mainly down to the SP work) and specialise in Benefits etc.

I never realised that the Social Policy work would be useful in applying for work , but am applying for a job at the moment where it is vital to have an awareness of forthcoming legislation , and have experience of writing evidence , as well as the welfare rights side . In all a perfect job for me , and its with a Disability organisation.

Now if only i could do a full week ;) I am applying anyway and see if they can offer job share or other concession .

Watch this space ...:)


Rich

Thank you madam Butterfly
I didn't mean it to sound like a CV , but as enthusiasm to anyone that it is possible to change careers due to illness .
It might be a while til i can actually maintain a job , and the CAB keeps it all in perspective , and keeps my brain going to a degree:)
I have gone from Engineer to welfare rights with the aid of the CAB training, and in all honesty i wish i had known this was an option when i left school in 1980.
But hey ho :)
Rich :)

Hello Ricjard

Very interesting post and well done to you. Wishing you luck

Rose

Good luck in finding a job using your new skills Richard. Never mind about the past , you have done it now! Very positive post which lifts the spirits.

Eleanor x

Hello Rich,

Great to read your post, I am another devotee of the CAB as having had RA since 1972 (I did start young!) I trained as an advisor in the late 80s. I loved the work as every day there you are learning and there is great reward in support and advice work.

It did help me get back into paid work, in my case in a specialist local government parliamentary information service where I worked very happily for 14 years, though it was part time. I wish you loads of luck and I'm sure your knowledge and skills will be very valuable and an asset in your job search.

Also as a spin-off from the CAB work I trained as a counsellor which took me 3 years and still work in the voluntary counselling world, though now beyond normal retirement age, as I do enjoy it so much. Focusing on others is a great way to distract from pain I find.

Let us know how you get on, you are a great inspiration for forum members.
Take care,
Liz

Thanks for all your kind words and support ,

there are still lots of "ifs and buts " especially with regard to my health , and other issues.

I know i cannot do 5 days a week at the moment , even at the CAB which is 100yrds away . I have also only just started on Arava , so that needs to be assessed too.
I was literally laid up for 2 months not too long ago , so there is that risk too. (CAB were fine about it and very supportive!)
But i will "suck it and see" safe in the knowledge that i can onto ESA again with no comebacks if i cannot handle it .

Mrs Woman ..have you looked at permitted work ..ie .. still get full entitlement to benefits by doing less than 16 hrs and less than £93 per week ?(That's if you are on benefits !)

Volunteering is definitely the way to go , if you are able . My CAB manager has said she would offer me a job , if it wasn't for lack of funding , but if nothing else i will have a great reference.:)

Even if i am too ill to do something with it .

Again .. Thanks for all your kind words .. watch this space :)
And Liz ...lovely to see your posting too about the CAB and Counselling .. it IS good to see warming stories :)

Rich X

Hi Rich

I have read your post with great admiration and found that sometimes life is a rollercoaster and at the end of the journey you can take different paths. I was wondering if you could give me some advice on work and benefits. I have a complecated past regarding work but I will put it in a nut shell. I have been off work now for over 3 years i had my baby in 2006 and never went back due to having 2 hip replacements and finding I had RA. Work have put me on half pay which is paid by their insurance company and I also claim incapacity and I have higher rate dla for mobility which I have put towards motability and I have recently got middle rate care dla. I have a meeting with work in the next 2 weeks and I have told them that i cannot work full time and would like to do part time when I am feeling better. My question is would I be better off going to work part time doing 20 hrs or so or just doing 18 hrs, and would this effect my benefits. Sorry for the long questions but I could really do with some advice as at the moment I feel that I am full of all the benefit info and trying to look at work stuff.
Hope you can help sort my head out :)
Hope you are feeling better and enjoying at role that really is satisfying.
Best Regards

Dawn

Hi Mari.

.. phew haven't typed so much in ages ;)
Right.... in my experience all CAB's are different because they each get their own funding (mainly from their local Council), hence the training is done different at each one , some take in people and have paid people overseeing the training some let you get on with it yourself .There is a lot of self study in the training ..and training packs to complete , of which a fair amount can be done at home (if you have a PC and connection). There will be various day courses , generally at Pentonville Road head office .

There is generally a criteria of being able to do a day a week for a certain length of time . The training can take as long as you want it to (Mine took well over a year , but i use the fact that i was doing the Social Policy stuff as my excuse ) However that said .. you would have to fit in with whatever your local Bureau has arranged .

I can actually tell them now what i do and when.. and even had over 2 months off Jan-March through illness. In any case an organisation like CAB should be proactive in hiring volunteers with a disability or long term condition. (I would raise it as a social policy issue if they didn't!).
I now do one day a week advising and one day a week Social Policy , but can add days when i want or even have time off ..but each Bureau will be different. I am also learning something every day when i am there as people come in with all sorts of issues .

You probably stand a better chance with actually getting work with CAB itself if you live in London, if my Bureau had the funding thenthey said they would hire me :( C'est la Vie.

Remember if you are on a sickness benefit then tell DWP/JCP that you are volunteering, and you can do as much volunteering as you like ..However ..bear in mind that if you do too much it could be considered that you are fit to work !

I just love it there , it is a unique organisation, and one i will miss when i start work (whenever that is )

Rich :)

Hey Rich

I appreciate the post back and its very helpful. Sorry what follows might seem to be on a different tangent!

When I got diagnosed first I was totally freaked out and I leaned on this fabulous forum and NRAS staff until I started to be able to cope with having RA adn thas only because I am ok (go help me if I was the mess I was in the beginning). For me your posts hit a soft spot because I have felt well for ages (well since March) but only have recently got around to thinking yes I can go back to work. So it was good timing seeing your post and would love similar posts sharing their experiences on getting on with life after the interruption and adaptation to RA. It made me realise that we really need to share similar stories, particularly with the newly diagnosed.

So I am saying Thanks for sharing in a round about way and hope I see more of your posts.

Mari

Hi Dawn ...
definitely get FULL advice before taking any course of action . Benefit's are complicated and totally depend on your individual circumstances.
permitted work is any hours UNDER 16 hours , and there is a risk that the DWP/JCP could then consider you were fit to work.
see

DirectGov -permitted Work

you would also be excluded from the Return to work credit as you were still on a benefit.

You may also get help with regard to this via Job Centre Plus and the Disability Employment Advisor (DEA) although in my experience i would get any figures that they come up with checked by an advice centre.
Don't feel pressurised to do something which you feel unable to do due to your illness , you do have options and you do need to discuss these fully with an advice agency :)

Rich :) X