Sunday 27 January 2008

How and why is access denied? Part 3

Jackie’s story


When I left School I went to a Social Service Training Centre. I earned 25p a day to make up boxes and screw things together for televisions. This was then stopped and I left. Since then I have not earned any money of my own, although I wanted to.

I worked voluntary in a nursery for some years. As they said they couldn’t afford to pay me, they gave me gifts and vouchers as payment on my birthday and Christmas. This was sweets or a £5 Woolworths voucher. I finished Play Group after Dad died.

I then worked in a charity shop with no salary. My job was to make the staff drinks, and clean the toilets and the kitchen. One of the staff used to send me to pay her gas bills. This was a worry to me as I had a lot of money and had to find the shop to pay the bill---When I said this, the member of staff told the Manager that “If I didn’t leave she would”. So the manager told me to go, as she didn’t want to lose the lady. I was not supported by her----This made me feel bad and I felt hurt.

I am currently looked after by my carer, who pays me £5 a week to clean her house. This is where I live. Because I want to work and be independent I have contacted my key-worker that I see at the Day Centre on a daily basis, to ask her to put me in touch with an employment agency. I am waiting for them to contact me. I would like to do a cleaning job with a contract and a salary.

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