Induction day

I very quickly discover that there is no lift and that the only option of getting to the 2^nd floor not via the stairs was to go outside and round the building to the other side. After my last visit I needed to get to that road just behind the building but chose to go a long way round as the first bit is so steep. It is not a very useful option. Imagine a lane that starts at the side of the building at ground level and wraps round the building to the second floor – plus about 5/6 steps, maybe you get the idea. I have been told that I can enter there to start with, a flat walk [and 5/6 steps] from the high street – knock and hopefully someone will answer.  Stairs are ok but never done without thinking and sometimes quite painful – when my lower back is off steep slopes are difficult. I do things because I have to. There is fortunately a toilet for someone of my gender on that floor. So: the no steps entrance is on the ground floor as is the photocopier, reception and the accessible toilets. The interview space where I first went is on the first floor, the IT room on the second floor.

After a fiddle, a chair was found for me that I could adjust to a suitable height. They don’t seem to have wrist rests available. We were shown how to log into the programme that we will use. We looked at job categories – if I’d written down the website as well as my log in details I would be more accurate at explaining the job categories. It was suggested that we picked 3 possible areas including one that ended “machine operatives” – I said surely that is physical work, and was told there might be jobs in that area that I hadn’t thought about.

Being on ESA I don’t have to apply for jobs but I do need to do work based activities.

There was a place to put CVs I wasn’t sure if that was just for me to access or for staff as well, I only asked why was it/ was it necessary – I had one of my inarticulate moments...garble garble [my think speak capacity can be affected as can my listen comprehend, reading and writing seem ok]. I established that I could access my CV via email of online documents and as I wasn’t required to apply for jobs I didn’t have to have it in my online details.

Then came the tests in Maths and English. She said that they would adjust to ability so we would probably all take different times. I made some stupid mistakes in English and it didn’t take too long. The maths went on and on, I knew how to work out the volume of a cylinder, but due to a slightly woozy day just couldn’t pin down the noughts that were coming up so skipped that. Anyway 2 of the others finished well before me. My results were both Level 2: GCSE grades a – c. Yes that was  my maths level when I took O levels – yes I’m that old. I’d need coaching to get it up to scratch I reckon, there’s lots I wouldn’t be able to do - I didn’t understand all the terms for statistics on this test. So actually I think I’m under that score for maths. But the English, bloody hell! I have 3 O levels – language, literature, general literature; Use of English [sort of A level English Language] and A level English, not to mention the MA, the creation of academic writing and creative writing – and having taught contextual studies to first year degree students. How on earth did I do so badly?

Our maths and English result print outs are kept in a locked cabinet but our personal folders including user name and log-on are kept in an open filing cabinet for all to access. Hmm

I remembered to give them my new email address, but forgot about travel from the last visit and this one, also I forgot to hand in my completed data protection form. Even using a double folder with sort of in out tray system I forgot.

I left still not entirely sure what I will do on the visits there and what I will report on during the phone calls. Perhaps list the art listings that I’ve looked at, my grappling with a proposal and failing!

Future: I usually go away with my parents in the autumn for 3 or 4 weeks...I really can’t look after the house alone – coal and wood fire in a stone house, aside from no transport. What will happen?