While I was attending my 1pm appointment today at Working Links in Cardiff I noticed that although most of the computers were in use the majority were sitting around calmly chatting to each other. A few looked serious as they did some jobsearch but on the whole it didn't look like many computers were actually being used and most of the people were quite happy and relaxed. I have no idea if they are new on the Work Programme or have accepted their situation and are hoping this is the worst it gets. If jobsearch once or twice a week was the worst then it would be something most of us could accept and even if we thought it was pointless as we could do our jobsearch at home I guess most of us would attend. Of course results are needed by Working Links and I heard one of the staff asking a young man if he would consider call centre work. He wasn't keen but eventually agreed to come in and talk to an employer about call centre work. As time goes on the unemployed will have to do a lot more than jobsearch even if they are thought of as job ready. They already have the Skills Wales two week course which isn't that bad, well at least it will show that you can get out of bed every week day for a fortnight. I completed it recently and one thing is for certain, time goes by quicker if you take part. From my experience of many courses in the past I know that a tutor will target people who keep too quiet so it is always best to say something just to get them off your back. If you say too much they probably will try and avoid eye contact with you when they ask for any questions. Working Links had music playing in their office but no amount of music could take away the thought of my housing benefit being suspended after completing the Skills Wales course the other week. They put us on a training course for that fortnight so when we came off it we had to get back onto jobseekers allowance. Cardiff Council have suspended my housing benefit because I have not yet officially been put back on jobseekers allowance and hopefully when I go to sign later this week at the jobcentre it will be sorted out. For anyone who is put on a Skills Wales course by Working Links I can inform you that they say that all participants will be kept on jobseekers allowance so you won't have the hassle of making a new or rapid reclaim. You will just have to sign on as normal during the fortnight. I noticed on a website the other day that some people were complaining about being put on work experience with the British Heart Foundation and they felt like they were being made to do real jobs with the threat of sanctions if they didn't complete their work on time. I was once asked to complete a placement with the British Heart Foundation when I was on the old New Deal but thankfully it didn't happen. As we all know charities are not really charities anymore. The days when a retired person rattled a tin in front of you and you put the odd coin in are long gone. Now they stop you and ask you to sign up to a direct debit when the top people at their charity earn fantastic wages. People tend to start charities as a way to obtain a good income for themselves and if they are lucky enough to obtain grants from councils or the lottery or even the European Social Fund then they are quids in.