I hate the ignorance of some people with regards to young people on centrelink. I was on it a few months ago. I spent a year applying for job after job with no success, I'm not exactly a slouch either- I had 5 years job experience in different industries, started my own business and had almost finished my degree. Despite all that I was deemed too inexperienced to secure a job, in fact I would say that 60% of the time the company wouldn't even bother replying. During this time I did 6 months worth of unpaid work experience, in some cases I would be driving an hour there and back.
I am not just an extraordinary case, many of us struggle to find work even with degrees and 5 years of work experience.
I admit there are some out there who take govt payments for granted but for everyone of them I bet there are otherslike me, embarrassed to be walking in to centrelink surrounded by low-lifes. I would say it is the most degrading thing I have done on a regular basis.
My time on centrelink I view as a debt I will payback to the government in my future for keeping me going while I was struggling.
Thankfully I have found a position which I could only dream of a year ago and am no longer on centrelink.
It's funny reading that piece though, I can picture that exact type of girl. Arts uni student that is in an outer social circle who despises anyone that is better off than her. Obviously knows everything about how the world works and will 'leave the country' if Tony Abbott is PM.
