Found this quite interesting.
The original that got me thinking. It's outdated but I was still suprised by a few things.
Take a moment and watch them. I bet you'll learn a thing or 2.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Wasted Tax Dollars
The state of Michigan requires you to attend a program called Work First if you receive and cash assistance from the state. Lucky me falls into that catagory. At least for now. Woo Hoo!
The hours you are required to attend are bases on the ages of your children and who is on your state grant. Hubby and I are required to attend 35 hours, however, the hours he works are subtracted from that. You can also carry over hours from week to week. For example: Austin works 14 hours this week, we had 12 hours carry over from last week, so at we have to complete 9 hours at the program. Either one of us can do the hours.
The program teaches you how to do resumes, fill out applications, practice interviews, and works on job skills. They will help get you into some training programs and pay for equipment and uniforms if needed. It pays limited mileage for the driving you do and also helps you get an outfit to interview in.
There are people in my "class" that really need these things. Some of them need a whole lot more that what they will learn here. Then there are those of us who can breeze through everything and spend a lot of time banging our heads into the walls because we are wasting so much time.
The training programs they cover are a joke. I'd like to see someone support a family on the pay they will receive from those jobs. It sucks because they will not count your college hours toward the program if you are going for a 4 year degree. Statistically, you will do much better in life with a bachelor degree that you will with a vocational certificate. Apparently, the State of Michigan doesn't want you to be able to get ahead, they just want you off their dole. I've never understood that.
They would rather help me get a certificate that lets me barely pay the bills and requires me to most likely stay on Food Stamps and Medicaid. They say they can't afford to help me while I get a degree that will let me pay the bills, buy food, and get my own insurance. Has anyone in their office ever bothered to crunch the numbers?
Another issue I have is the number of people who come into the program without a high school diploma. Work First offers no help to these people who need a GED. For pete's sake, McDonald's won't hire you without a diploma or GED. How are these people expected to succeed with no foundation?
I guess this is just another example of how messed up this lovely state is. I'm sure I will be writting more about this in the future.
The hours you are required to attend are bases on the ages of your children and who is on your state grant. Hubby and I are required to attend 35 hours, however, the hours he works are subtracted from that. You can also carry over hours from week to week. For example: Austin works 14 hours this week, we had 12 hours carry over from last week, so at we have to complete 9 hours at the program. Either one of us can do the hours.
The program teaches you how to do resumes, fill out applications, practice interviews, and works on job skills. They will help get you into some training programs and pay for equipment and uniforms if needed. It pays limited mileage for the driving you do and also helps you get an outfit to interview in.
There are people in my "class" that really need these things. Some of them need a whole lot more that what they will learn here. Then there are those of us who can breeze through everything and spend a lot of time banging our heads into the walls because we are wasting so much time.
The training programs they cover are a joke. I'd like to see someone support a family on the pay they will receive from those jobs. It sucks because they will not count your college hours toward the program if you are going for a 4 year degree. Statistically, you will do much better in life with a bachelor degree that you will with a vocational certificate. Apparently, the State of Michigan doesn't want you to be able to get ahead, they just want you off their dole. I've never understood that.
They would rather help me get a certificate that lets me barely pay the bills and requires me to most likely stay on Food Stamps and Medicaid. They say they can't afford to help me while I get a degree that will let me pay the bills, buy food, and get my own insurance. Has anyone in their office ever bothered to crunch the numbers?
Another issue I have is the number of people who come into the program without a high school diploma. Work First offers no help to these people who need a GED. For pete's sake, McDonald's won't hire you without a diploma or GED. How are these people expected to succeed with no foundation?
I guess this is just another example of how messed up this lovely state is. I'm sure I will be writting more about this in the future.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Stupid Job!
So I thought Austin's job was the greatest thing ever, but here we are going into Wednesday and he hasn't worked yet this week. He also doesn't know when/if he works because there is no schedule. His boss originally told him he worked today but that changed. Then told him to plan on Wednesday but never called back to let him know what time and then didn't answer his phone when Austin called. Really, it's not a big deal. I mean it's not like we need a roof over our head or food to eat! What's killing me is that we are still getting state aid and required to put in a certain number of hours at work or at a program (Work First) and now I am stressing that we are not going to make it this week. We took yesterday to run errands thinking he would work today. Then today relaxed thinking that he would work tomorrow. Now with no schedule we have 3 days to get these hours in. It will require one of us to be at the program all day for the next 3 days. This is going to get interesting.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Hi There
Well, I've decided to give this blogging thing another try. Maybe (hopefully) this time it will work out. LoL
This past week started out ho hum but has ended with a bang. Austin officially has a full time AWESOME job as a cook/chef that he is loving! He filled out an application, was interviewed, and hired all in a span of 20 minutes. Hi boss is awesome and he gets along great with his co-workers. The job ruined our plans for the weekend, but I will take food in the fridge and a roof over our heads over boat races any day.
I will continue looking for a job and getting things in order to return to school this winter.
Tuesday Binky will be evaluated for Early Head Start. She has come a long way over the past few months but interaction with other children will help her even more. She is starting to put 2 or 3 words together and occasionally ads a new word to her vocabulary. We went to the pediatrician 2 weeks ago and were suprised that Binky FINALLY hit the growth chart. Talk about a celebration in that room.
Boo is still Boo. He sees his therapist weekly and hasn't had a cutting incident in almost 7 months.
This past week started out ho hum but has ended with a bang. Austin officially has a full time AWESOME job as a cook/chef that he is loving! He filled out an application, was interviewed, and hired all in a span of 20 minutes. Hi boss is awesome and he gets along great with his co-workers. The job ruined our plans for the weekend, but I will take food in the fridge and a roof over our heads over boat races any day.
I will continue looking for a job and getting things in order to return to school this winter.
Tuesday Binky will be evaluated for Early Head Start. She has come a long way over the past few months but interaction with other children will help her even more. She is starting to put 2 or 3 words together and occasionally ads a new word to her vocabulary. We went to the pediatrician 2 weeks ago and were suprised that Binky FINALLY hit the growth chart. Talk about a celebration in that room.
Boo is still Boo. He sees his therapist weekly and hasn't had a cutting incident in almost 7 months.
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