The interviewer is Sarah Freeman. I have no idea what her area of expertise is, but all she has done is copy down some figures from the ONS (269,00 households where no one has ever worked - pause there for a moment. 25% of households in this country consist of one person. So this isn't quite the same as 269,000 "families" of mum, dad and half a dozen kids all sitting around doing nothing.) And right at the end of the article someone has stuck the latest unemployment figures. In between is the usual spiel from Mrs Harrison; her background, her zeal to get people back to work, the Family Champions scheme; and added to that, the Vox centres. To show that she's human she cites her 16-year-old dyslexic son. Now, a real journalist would, at some point, have brought some facts to the table. The FND results, for instance. Of course, I might be doing Ms Freeman a disservice, and it wasn't her idea to omit the hard questions. And it would be sexist to wonder why Harrison is so often interviewed by women. "Harrison is clearly on a mission," we're told. Oh yes, a PR mission.
Saturday, 29 January 2011
Yet another interview
I know it's tedious to keep reporting Emma Harrison's press interviews. They are simply PR exercises, with compliant journalists failing to do the research or ask the right questions. But there's another such interview in today's Yorkshire Post; and it helps us to see how the spin works.
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"We invest millions of pounds each year on the long-term unemployed, yet it doesn't result in jobs and they are still left leading a rubbish life." - Emma Harrison.
ReplyDeleteThe long term unemployed do not receive this money - it is spent in the main on New Deal contracts for company's such as A4e. It has made a tiny number of shareholder's extremely wealthy.
That was a very careless remark by Emma. John Waites has a "Face The Facts" investigatory programme on Radio 4 ..... I wonder if he would be interested in this lady?
ReplyDeleteEmma Harrison's statement:
ReplyDelete"We invest millions of pounds each year on the long-term unemployed, yet it doesn't result in jobs and they are still left leading a rubbish life."
This indicates that even she believes that her company has failed to adequately tackle mass unemployment. A4e has failed. As the head of the organisation, Emma Harrison has to bear some responsibility for this state of affairs.
A4e seem to mislead the public in many ways: Their website contains a list of 'partners'. Many of these are charities and I believe that some of these charities are not 'in partnership' with them, and are not aware that they are listed as such. People who donate/leave money to charity are particular about who their charity is associated with.
ReplyDeleteThe charities may well be organisations which give placements to A4e's clients. "Partnership" is a very woolly concept at the moment.
ReplyDeleteI understand that in some cases it is a woolly concept. Maybe it might be an idea to go to the website and make a copy of the list of 'partners', then go back in a few days (if it is not already too late) to see if some 'partners' have been removed. Just a suggestion - other charities might not yet be aware that they are identified as 'partners' when, in fact, they are not. The association might affect public donations/legacies.
ReplyDeletewoooo you guys keep up the good work ;-(?)
ReplyDeleteI've just rejected a comment which goes over the top about this connection between A4e and charities. If you give money to charities you are certainly not indirectly giving it to private companies. They take clients from A4e and other providers to give them work experience and help the charity. I believe that A4e gives a small amount of money to the charity for this. A4e also runs the FSI which is to help charities raise money - the sort of thing which a lot of private companies do, and which does no harm to their image. If you disapprove, take it up with the charity, but I certainly wouldn't penalise them for it.
ReplyDeleteMaybe this is not about charities who give work experience to A4e clients, but charities who might not be happy that they are being identified as partners when they have not been involved in these work experience schemes. Some companies make claims on websites to enhance their image and to persuade people to become involved with them. The Trading Standards Department takes it seriously. I'm not sure that people would think that they are giving money, indirectly, to private companies, just that people are particular about who the charities are involved with and whether they support the activities of those companies.
ReplyDelete"Punitive measures don't work and not just when it comes to unemployment," - Thanks Harrison. I'll use that quote when it comes to fighting petty sanctions imposed by your sub ordinates.
ReplyDeleteIt must be lovely to live in Ms Harrisons world were all you have to do is click together your Jimmy Choos and the world is all rosy.I have experienced just how hard A4e work to get you into work..they dont,its nothing but a sham in order to cut unemployment figures.Perhaps she should visit some of her offices instead of inviting staff to her large mansion to show them "what they could have if you work as hard as me"By the way they contract out finding work placements,I know because I now work in one of the places that finds placements for them.Shame on you Ms Harrison
ReplyDeletePaul, despite your experience the staff actually want you to get a job and do everything they are able to do. Profits depend on it. It's not their fault if there are no jobs. You'll have to explain what you mean by contracting out finding work placements; that's not something I've heard of.
ReplyDelete@ Historian,what planet are you on my friend.Are you Emma perchance.I spent 3 months at Hull A4e,there was NO training,there was NO help,people deemed unready for work were dumped in a class room and left to their own devices.People with poor reading and writing abilities were given NO help.I myself needed IT training, I was given none,these are NOT isolated incidents.Indeed tainees complained to the local media about the lack of training,speaking to people now with A4e under the new system things have improved not a jot!
ReplyDeletePaul, I have worked for A4e and another major provider as an advisor and I really wanted my customers to find employment - I couldn't have done the job if I didnt believe in it. No, it is not all rosy and comfortable out there, the advisors have to work to tight schedules, tough targets and limited budgets but the majority believe in what they do.
ReplyDeleteAlso, just like Historian I would like to know about this contracting out of placements.
I am not the biggest fan of Ms Harrison either and I was never invited to her big house - as my boss was worried I might open my mouth and ask awkward questions!!! lol
I'll ignore the insult, but take care.
ReplyDeleteIf you reconsider what I said, it was that the staff are doing all they are able to do - which is very little under New Deal and FND.
@ruthy59,historian,
ReplyDeleteSo,my experience is a one off is it,I deal with A4E everyday and quite frankly many of the staff are poorly trained and disinterested.I have spoken with New Deal Advisors at the Job Centre many have heard the same complaints as I am making.I thought this was a site where people could give opinions and share their experiences about A4e obviously I was wrong,perhaps if you actually spoke to people who have had dealings with A4e you might find yourselves better informed.If you are not interested in peoples experiences why bother giving people a comment option.?
Paul, no one is disagreeing with you, and you are leaping to angry conclusions which are unwarranted. Your experience is common. But don't blame individual members of staff. The fault lies in the contracts which give scope to private companies to perform so poorly.
ReplyDeleteI was not blaming individual members of staff,indeed on another post you will see that I said the tutors did their best,what I was pointing out that A4e as a company has a very poor reputation in this city (Kingston-upon-Hull)and after being a "trainee" and seeing how they(corporate they)tret people then you bet I am angry.
ReplyDelete"I know it's tedious to keep reporting Emma Harrison's press interviews."
ReplyDeleteHer interviews are predictable, though often hilarious, depending on your sense of humour, but please keep collecting them.
I know i don't comment here much, but I find it an invaluable reference point.
Don't forget, it has been suggested that this woman could be Prime Minister one day!