I work in the Mental Health sector
I got given the chance to provide a back to work, workshop for people who suffer with mental health via a well known mental health charity. The workshops run every 2 months and repeat, with 1 on 1 support and a drop in group provided on a separate day. The workshop is based around my training in counselling as you can't exactly teach some one with mental health to just get a job you have to work with them to discover what they want and go on from there. The first workshop was extremely successful and everyone who attended it is getting a lot of support in the work they are currently doing.
I only get paid for the hours I teach however I spend most of my time out and about promoting the workshop with charities, organisations and other people in the mental health sector to gain clients to attend the workshops..
The meetings go as follow..
I walk in show them the workshop, what it incorporates, the packs the clients work through, the support that is given and also the extra support they can have if they are experiencing problems along side getting back to work and the support we provide in the workplace.. this is a free service for any one who attends the workshops..etc etc etc
The charities and organisations are falling all over it as no one else is offering this type of person centered care workshop in my area.. and promise me to send me lots of their clients who are in the situation of finding work but are battling with certain mental illnesses but wanting to get back out there and do something...
Do I get any application forms back from these organisations? Do I fudge...I may get one or two application forms back, but then the clients do not turn up, when contacting their care co-ordinaters I find out they have booked them on another course on the same day... for fucks sake.
I even was at a conference the other day promoting this workshop and a women came to talk to me about it and said "I should promote it more as she did not know about it and has lots of client's that could come to the workshop".. I had a fucking meeting with her 4 weeks ago about the service I provide.

I told her the above without the expletives. I sat in an empty room today for 3 hours expecting clients and a charity organisation to turn up today.. no one..

Also people who say the letter H. Its pronounced aitch not fucking Haitch

LLoyds bank, are you just a bunch of silly numb nuts?

Also me for not putting in comers in the sentences I write .. twat.
( The invisible ham Fig rolls are the best, Wed 10 Oct 2012, 23:38, 9 replies)

what's a comer?

(dozers, do fuck off ur a nob m8, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 7:29, closed)

You know, like in that Boy George song
Comer, comer, comer, comer, comer, comelion.
( Ghoti Fingers, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 8:30, closed)

the opposite of a goer

(tyrellsOwl, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 11:13, closed)

comerrant?
is a sea bird that rants about comers
( The invisible ham Fig rolls are the best, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 11:55, closed)

Charity sector
I do some work in the charity sector on a mostly pro bono basis and they are useless. Absolutely useless. Nothing gets done, nobody has a clue as to what is going on and it is all very frustrating. Especially when doing this stuff for free or nearly free. I start to think why on earth am I wasting my time... *sigh*. Stick with it, it is rewarding some times.
(sugar_tits, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 9:46, closed)

thank you
yeah I know it is frustrating, but I really enjoy it when people turn up and you see where they were to where they are now..
( The invisible ham Fig rolls are the best, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 11:56, closed)

Aitch is proddy, haitch is tim.
When the driver of your Belfast black cab asks you to spell something with an 'h' in it, he's trying to work out whether to take you to his IRA chums for a spot of kneecapping.
(ubergeekian, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 10:39, closed)

I can see it's frustrating
but isn't it true to say that most of your potential clients lead by any standards very chaotic lives? It doesn't surprise me to know that people standing between them and you aren't exactly OCD about their work either.

It's an interesting problem. Even though it's not a commercial enterprise, it still perhaps needs to be worked as though it is.

I'd imagine you need to be more direct. If someone says they're going to send you something, don't take their word for it, you need to develop a system where you are more proactive. If they're going to refer a client to you, get a name, take theirs or the clients contact details and follow it up.

Ask them for a deadline, and agree if you don't hear from them, you can chase them. People are only human, and given the possible problems your clients have, you have to take some of their responsibilities on yourself.

As I said, I'm just applying commercial thinking to the problem here. I wouldn't for a second try to pretend I know how it all works.
(username failed moderation, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 11:11, closed)

Well
I have been thinking about hitting it more as a commercial practice to get more responses. I do take all the names and addresses emails and phone numbers of everyone I talk too and use them. but a deadline may be an idea I shall bring into the mix. My experience of deadlines in charities is that they do not work as such and its always last minute you get people calling you up to include someone on the course. however I am going to re-jiggle the wording on the advertising and see if that makes a difference e.g. "spaces are filling up fast, book now" etc etc.. however I have a weeks time to get the advertising done... unfortunately I got a bad bad feeling I'm going to have to move into the social media world
( The invisible ham Fig rolls are the best, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 11:54, closed)