Encouragement from Emma

Lots of publicity about the latest unemployment figures, particularly the number of young people without work. The Sun headlines "Nearly 1m young people out of work" and adds that the over-65s have been hit too. Who does the Sun go to for a comment? Yes, Emma Harrison, who is described as "Govt's family champion" rather than as someone who has become a multi-millionnaire from contracts to get people back to work (and who describes herself on Twitter as "welfare and social reform thinker and doer, tv and radio face and voice"). A4e isn't mentioned in the Sun. And what does Emma have to say? Nothing much. "Whatever the situation, you mustn't give up or give in," and similar words of encouragement. Nobody except the government talks about the Work Programme at the moment. None of the "case studies" cited by the Sun, or any of the media, refer to the WP or to any previous scheme.

The Work Programme was supposed to address all the problems, including training needs. The private providers would pay for skills training because it would increase clients' chances of getting work and so the companies' chances of making a profit. But Chris Grayling has acknowledged that that isn't going to work by announcing the setting-up of "sector-based work academies". However, there is no indication of who is to run these "academies" (silly word). The obvious answer would be Further Education Colleges, which already provide this skills training. But I wouldn't be surprised if this is yet another contract opportunity for the likes of A4e.

A depressing prospect

If there was any doubt about the purpose of "The Fairy Jobmother" it has been dispelled by the Sun's headline, "Why work? Dole pays us £1,150 every month." It's a preview of tonight's programme designed to evoke all the standard prejudices against the unemployed; and the comments from readers (is that the right word when applied to the Sun?) bear that out. But of course, this series is not designed to bring light or thought to the problem of joblessness. Ms Taylor, we're told, lived with each family for three weeks. That ruled out all the single people living in tiny flats. There had to be the likelihood of success, so that ruled out all the chaps in their late 50s or early 60s who have to undergo these "courses" although everyone knows they will never work again. There had to be something which Ms Taylor could teach them; so that ruled out all the qualified, skilled and experienced people who've been made redundant and can't find work. All that were left were the stereotypical families, apparently coining it for being idle. How very depressing. And the thing hasn't even been screened yet.