BEVS

I emigrated to New Zealand age 50 ten years ago nearly. I must have been start raving bonkers. Oh wait ! I was stark raving bonkers.
I think a lot about a return to my home and roots. No idea if it will happen or not. Mr BEVS is younger than me and quite settled into the simpler NZ life which I can find quite tedious.

Englishmaple

That's good to hear Windsong - I guess you have brought your moving day forward? I hope it works out.

I alternate between being calm and freaking out at the moment! I think the thing that worries me most is finding work - I haven't worked in a full-time job for so long and, altho' I have skills, with the struggle I've had in Canada, I'm a tad scared it will be difficult in the UK .. I also started to read about zero hour contracts on the web ... which was the worst possible thing to do! More than anything, I'm struck by how much the way the UK job market has changed since I left 12 years ago - so many agencies. Keeping my fingers crossed that things will work out.

windsong

Hi EnglishMaple!!!

Believe me, my time in the USA the last four years has prepped me for anything that could occur in the UK! I have had severe panic attacks the last few months and the only solution is OUT! I am ready - and leaving in three months at most.

I have battled the job market in the USA - and survived! I think my chances in the UK are much better. They couldn't be worse.

Englishmaple

Glad you are moving - I hope it works out for you.

I haven't worked in a long time which is why, I think, I'm a little bit more apprehensive. Plus the RSI is so darn limiting ... but I keep reminding myself to stay positive!

windsong

I have been apprehensive, too, thinking I should stay here a little longer to make more money to take back - ONCE I find a job! I even moved from one end of the country to the other to find work. It's STILL difficult to find work. I almost had one but the employer turned goofy after my third interview. I later found out the issue and I am so glad I didn't get the job!

I have had enough now, though. I might as well struggle back home as struggle here.

morayeel

Good for you Windsong. I have followed many of your posts and hoped you would pack up and leave. I sincerely wish you all the best. In my heart I feel you will do well. Best of Luck.

windsong

Thank you very much.

merciacanuk

so glad to hear your move has gone well. I am planning to move back after 26 years in Canada. any tips on making the transition easier? thanks,

Editha

For social work type jobs, are you looking at the Guardian? I think that it is Thursday's issue that has the local government jobs.

Editha

Sorry I'm showing my age. The web edition has the jobs listed continuously, of course.

lf1

Start decluttering and organizing as soon as you can. Scanning photos, copying CD's and getting rid of old paperwork took longer than I thought. I am quite good at getting rid of things, but I was still amazed at the amount of stuff that I had accumulated over the years. Do you have and specific areas you want me to share with you? Have you decided when and where you are moving to?

Bud the Wiser

For social work jobs, there is, or was, two weeklies, 'New Society' & 'Community Care'. Not sure if they are still published.

erin0259

Hi if1,
No i have NO idea i am clueless, i love Surrey but it is so expensive, thought maybe Kent or Sussex, i would like to live in a quieter town and within at least one hr from where my daughter lives in Wimbledon, my plan is next Spring depending on how much i can save, if not def next Sept it just seems like so far away from now though, i really want to go tomorrow but unless i win the lotto not happening lol, i have started getting rid of things though and am going to have a yard sale too, and yes it is scary but also so excited about starting this new journey in my life.

If anyone has any ideas on places though would love to hear from you, that is what is the hardest part right now i have no clue where i want to live that i can afford.

Englishmaple

Yep I look on the Guardian regularly ... but I can't apply for jobs which specifically ask for a social worker until I register with the HPC which costs 400 pounds, requires a ton of paperwork and takes 4 months to process ...

I may register but part of me is wondering whether I can pick up something in social services with my social work degree which doesn't use the designated social worker title - because long term, my preference would be to do clinical counselling (which social workers do in Canada). But in UK you have to get a diploma for counselling in order to qualify to counsel on the NHS (a social work degree doesn't cut it). So I'm thinking I may try and pick up a social services job and study p/t for this diploma (it takes about 2 years I think). Then use that to offer counselling, yoga and meditation teaching..

Other options are to possibly look at library work - say working in a school library or a prison library where hopefully my social work degree coupled with my library knowledge would work well together - providing the employer can offer an ergonomic set up and the work itself isn't intensive keyboarding but is broken up with other things - which I think it would be in these settings.

Another option is to take a social services job which uses my other skills like yoga and meditation in the treatment - eg a recovery type worker where you're supporting people recovering from mental illness or addiction (although some of the addiction posts ask for specific qualifications - I studied addictions on my social work degree and have agency experience but thats not quite the same). Again though depends on employers ergonomics.

Another option is to look for a community youth work post (possibly combined with library work) as I've done a lot of community classes with kids (yoga, juggling, circus skills) and I like working with them.

I've also got volunteer experience in a hospice setting and with immigrants and have work experience with seniors too.

So the thing is figuring out what employers are considerate with respect to ergonomics and what posts are out there ... to find employers who see what I can offer beyond my health condition.

And I still really miss medical librarianship and research - but going back to that would require a lot of ergonomic modifications - I think I would have to use Dragon Naturally speaking all the time in that kind of work to avoid making my condition worse with all the literature searching that's done in that work.

Englishmaple

I know it's not 1 hour from Wimbledon (which is one criteria you list) but I did find when I was looking on the spare room site that rents in Cheltenham and Gloucestershire were cheaper than Hampshire and Surrey. I don't know what the job situation is like there with respect to retail management though.

Another option might be to look at locations of large retail malls in the south east assuming that you could get a job at one of them - that might help narrow down places.

Again, it's not 1 hour from Wimbledon and it's more south west but I think there's a big retail place called Cribbs Causeway near Bristol?

I don't know what big retail places there are in SE other than all the stores in central london? But you might want to also narrow down what kind of store you want to work in? I used to sell furniture at Habitat and loved it but they used to treat employees really well. I've been reading recently of some stores who employ 0 hour contracts and treat staff horribly on them - so maybe figuring out the sector in retail you want to work in may help you narrow down some places to live too.