Many of you will not be able to relate to this as your experiences been very different (as have mine in the past). I only hope my case worker becomes the rule rather than the exception and, to that end, we must address the culture of the place, focusing on those who run it ... or should that be ruin it?
For, sadly, it is in ruins. This is no fixer-upper. Entering a Winz office seriously borders on being detrimental to one's health - it destroys your very soul and sucks the remaining life out of you.
I have been wrestling with ideas on how to remedy the problem but, short of a coup and a total revamp of the whole ministry, options are pretty limited. I've got a few suggestions ... nothing concrete, we can fine tune things later.
First we need to form a union of sorts - BUM, Beneficiaries United Movement.
Our first order of business will be to seek a meeting with the minister, Paula Bennett. Here we will demand our right to FART (Fair And Respectful Treatment), a simple, no-nonsense, code of conduct that drones must follow, with swift consequences for those who don't.
Next, we will request the minister has a CRAP in every Winz office throughout the country. CRAPs - or a Customer Relations Advocacy Person - must be independent of the ministry and conversant in all aspects of policy, procedure, obligations and entitlement.
Their full-time role will be to advocate for the customer, primarily by making them aware of entitlements, ensuring they are armed with all necessary paperwork (as opposed to being turned away because they don't have it), offering moral support at appointments if necessary, and gathering constructive feedback post-appointment.
We will also demand music - silly as it sounds, it will help in three ways.
Firstly, it will break the god awful silence and add some ambience to the sterile environment; secondly, it may help to placate frayed tempers and soothe others who may be stressed; thirdly, it will go a long way to solving the privacy issues.
With open offices and no screens, I have been in the situation where I can hear the most private of client details, personal and financial, being discussed at the desk next to me. It's a gross breach of privacy and has to stop. I'm aware that private rooms are available on request, but there are simply not enough of them.
Should the minister ever read this, I'm so over being treated like crap that I'm now happy to become one. As the self-appointed leader of BUM, I am offering my services as a CRAP. Let the FART begin ...
Who dares Winz? I do. We don't want special treatment, we just want something vaguely bordering on the humane.
I would love to hear your thoughts on the matter - email me at investik8@gmail.com
Kate Stewart is an unemployed, reluctant mother of three, currently running amok in the city ... approach with caution or cheesecake.
