AARP Services review: treated with no dignity, respect, value 32

I called this office about 1 1/2 years ago, and waited and waited to hear back from them. No call. I phoned again, and again they said your on the list someone will call you. Still no call, so I gave up. (I initially called because there was a flyer at my apt. bldg. regarding AARP helping you get employment, and getting paid while you volunteer (SCSEP Program) and attempt to seek permanent employment.

Now, I'm doing some volunteer work and some of my co-workers are in the SCSEP Program. I called AARP, now I'm waiting for someone again to return my call, he's out for a week, then will be busy when he gets back, so I'm suppose to hear back in approx. two weeks. We'll see if it happens this time. In the meantime I'm going to go through the City of Seattle Mayor's Office Program, IF THEY HAVE ANY FUNDS LEFT for 2010 for the SCSCEP Program.

I am not certain as to why these inconsistencies exist, however, it is truly an insult to those of us seniors. I was recently released from my position hosted by the local historical museum. Assuming that I would call AARP and they would be sensitive to my situation, it was quite the opposite. I asked to be placed as soon as possible in that my husband and I suffered serious financial setbacks and I need to work. Instead I was told by the representative that she did not have time for me now and that I would need to wait two weeks to be contacted. All of the material that you read on the internet about the SCSEP program in coordination with AARP contradicts this type of treatment. I am totally shocked and doing my best to find someone whose compassion would lend itself to that which is promoted. So far, I have not been able to find any contact information for those who may have the means to correct these unconscionable injuries to our honorable intentions.

I am a 62 year old woman who was placed in a position as a custodian; never did that type of work before.
Work was demanding and physical, I advised AARP.
There were harsh chemicals in custodian closet.
Last day I worked at placement agency, I ended up in ER due to chemical inhalation.
Have called and called local office after submitting paperwork from ER, haven't heard from them since.
Many of these people at AARP were hired from the SCSEP program themselves; wonder if they ever had the placement skills beforehand.
Poor communication, non compassionate.

I live in Phoenix Arizona, and have face the same promblems stated here, I am over 55 I was let go of my job saw advertisment regarding SCSEP thru news letter that was e-mail to me thru AARP, went down to the office, which was way out of the way spent all day there with how to interview, how to search for jobs etc. they stated I had to go and do intake at that time I was told I qualified. Since losing my job I am now homeless and still no job. I ask also for help to go back to school, again nothing. I keep calling they say there is a freeze on nothing they can do, I said you stated there was a waiting list, again they stated no there is not we just cant help you. Now when I call they just put me on hold and dont come back to the phone so I just hang up. If this program does agsest which I beginning to think it does not why dosent someone help us. I have been looking for a job for one year, and I do beleive it is because my age, what am I or anyone else suppose to do.

Please Beware - the SCSEP Program would and could be helpful - if the people overseeing it, mainly the Project Manager, had more interests in making her program the BEST IT COULD BE, instead of a Master's Research Thesis for her own accalations. I have foud her HAND PICKED STAFF to be UNPROFESSIONAL on EVERY LEVEL. I have been talked down to, patronized, be littled, and when I spoke with the Project Manager, her reply was; "not my people, I find that hard to believe." "I won't have you talk that way about my people, unless your willing to sit across a table from them and allow them to defend themselves from your accusations." [In other words: CIRCLE THE WAGONS]
How sad: this program is ment to help people out, and all the unprofessionals with the power are ABUSING, aging professionals, who have treat others with DIGNITY, and RESPECT!

I wish the REGULATORS COULD PULL T"HE PLUG on this Project Manger, and find a BETTER CANDIDATE.

Because we, the baby-boomer generation, now exist as the "unemployables" according to government statistics, should begin communicating a lot more loudly as a nation of "unemployables" who has had the bar moved once again on the social security benefits pay-age. Being kicked-around is not who we are. It appears there are quite a few of us who are unhappy, unemployed, homeless and without hope. Crying in our milk is not who we are. It is time the government hears from us. That "we're mad as hell! and we're not gonna take it anymore!

This program is a joke. AARP does not help you gain employment. Instead you have to plug along like you always do and try to find work on your own. The very few interviews I have been able to get result in the same "over-qualified" status (translated to mean "too old"). What good does a program like this do for someone who has over 47 years of office experience and still remains unemployed? We are required to attend "mandatory" meetings and are penalized if we do not attend a useless meeting with very little hope for a job. It seems as if the younger workforce views us all as senile. Take a clue and realize that one day you will be "over-qualified" too.

The non-profit agencies I have worked for with SCSEP are terrible. They take advantage of us. I frequently hear comments from the rich volunteers, who usually only come in once a week; " I don't get paid anything". Well the host agency does not pay us one dime of our lowly minimum wage. I feel used and unappreciated. The word training is a joke. They work your butt off and look down their nose at us. Volunteers take away jobs from people.

Good for you for speaking out, i am going through a similiar situation here in AZ, only i have sent my issue to several top people and they send me to someone else. They all stick together from Wash to the low person on the totem pole. There has been un truths said about me to make the Project Mgr. look good, nothing between her and i was help private, our emails were always sent to two or three others even those that i had contacted. I was on the program for a few months at an Agency that i was already a Volunteer and offered this Agency to AARP and so went on the program, i liked it there i was learning several different things. then a confusing mess happened and it has been a fight ever since to have bad remarks removed from my file with them and to listen to my side, and as the person above this message i just get the run-a-round and have ever since trying to get on SCSEP here in AZ, i was told there was a freeze and i wrote someone in Wash and there was no freeze, it took me almost 3 years to get on, they are so confused as they have taken me off the Program 3 different times and do not seem to be able to coincide with each other.

I hope that anyone that is thinking to get on the AARP program here in AZ to do your homework first.

I agree. We are required to go to the YYC (Yes you Can) mtgs. at the worksource offiice here in Seattle. When we arrive we "sign in" with the office using our ssn.. This morning after arriving early and being seated in the main office to await being called into the meeting at least 3 or 4 of us were still waiting to be notified 10 minutes later. When we finally inquired we were told they were already in session. As we filed in and announced that we had been waiting and never called, the director screeched at us that we should have signed in I informed her I certainly had. She ignored me and continued with her "diatribe" with no apology or acknowledgement that perhaps she was the one in error. This is just a tiny example of the mistreatment participants endure!

I am a telecommunications retiree, but didn't want to sit around the house and rot away. So I called my local AARP office and enrolled in the SCSEP. Boy what a mistake! After being moved to three different host agency sites in six month, I was sent on an interview that didn't fit my goals. After I didn't accept the job at $9.00.hr., I was called into the AARP office and told that I had violated my agency agreement and would be terminated from the program.

Perhaps someone in Washington D.C. should re-evaluate funding this program. These folks in the local offices are a joke.

I must say that i can relate to your experience as well. I am writing from Houston, Texas AARP. and my experience with the Host Agencies, and AARP services are terrible. Senior's are used fro the government agencies to collect Volunteer hours. The extensive training is a joke. They send to Host Agencies that degrade you and put you in a corner and you, do absolutely nothing. Someone needs to investigate the way these places are ran, and how seniors are being treated; because if there were no seniors, there wouldn't be a need for AARP Foundation SCSEP Program.

I was a client of the Seattle SCSEP/AARP program in 2008. It was not as professionally run as I would have hoped but I discovered that most of the placement staff were seniors themselves. Admittedly, they were kind of slow on the uptake.

I lived in Federal Way at the time and my greatest hardship was getting to Seattle on occasion for face2face meetings. I was placed at a senior center in my community and was there until I accepted a permanent placement after about 4-5 months. I think there were 4 SCSEP placements there - 2 in the office and 2 in the kitchen. (One lady was 80 y/o at the time, and she became permanently employed at the center). I usually got breakfast and/or lunch, which was certainly helpful since my income was extremely limited at the time.

All in all, my experience was positive. However, I have a no BS personality and tend to "demand" professionalism and respect. I will say this: This forum is fine for publicizing to prospective applicants, but not the forum for getting change. That would be letters to AARP, your congressperson, the legislative committee(s) charged with oversight of the SCSEP funding. If you feel like the system is broken, do something about fixing it.

I plan to reapply to the program later in the year and I am looking forward to another successful experience.

I totally concur with the others with regard to the local AARP Foundation's dysfunctional administration of the SCSEP program. There is a lot of "poverty shaming" in their attitude about unemployed persons, and the clear message is that we have to be sharply and continually prodded to get off our dead ### to get out there and find work.

Their approach to the job hunt — especially in my field, IT — is 'way, 'way out-of-date, their philosophy with regard to the role of host-agency placements is at cross-purposes with itself, and they are very rigid in their general approach and administration of their services.

I won't go into detail here with what really got my tail in a knot, as it might identify me. I want to make a grievance, but I do not trust the local administrators to not be vindictive.

The rollup: If you're an out-of-work senior and can suffer the guff, this can be a useful program. However, DO treat the staff as bureaucrats... that means, stick to the letter of their program, and never volunteer information that your "employment specialist" does not ask for.

I represent a host agency that is working with the local Seattle office for placements at our agency. I have been very disappointed by their arbitrary movement of participants of late. What should have been a very lucrative arrangement between our programs, good for the AARP participants, the host agency and good for the local office, has turned in to a major disappointment. I had intentionally created meaningful positions for our AARP participants in hopes that it would sharpen skills, make it meaningful and hopefully in some way help participants find work in the field that they were looking in. Unfortunately creating meaningful work means that an agency has to go out on a limb and "give" work that is critical to the agency to a participant that could be moved at any given moment. The amount of training that the agency invests needs to be met with some type of return on work performed. And, with little to no notice as to when a participant is moved, it creates a void that then has to some how be met. Going forward I will be forced to keep most of our AARP participants in less meaningful work. The most unfortunate part of this arrangement is that doing so, in my opinion, belittles the unique gifts that each participant brings to their host agency. I wish all of you luck going forward, and hopefully we can all find a way to share our stories in places that can inspire the change we all clearly want to see! A local office that really understands the complexities of this job market, that respects our growing population of baby boomers and all of the gifts that they bring, that can better support their participants with placements and other services (I have noticed that there are many AARP folks that need additional supports such as clothing, food, housing, ect...) and that host agencies are able to utilize their particpants in meaningful ways that show respect for the talents that participants bring. Let's keep this moving forward!

for called a former friend who happens to to be associate diector AARP for old times sake. She said she would be in nearby town on AARP business and meet me for dinner. She was unusally quiet. As we went to our cars to leave she opened her truck and handed a very thick binder of of contact information to congressmen with theIr contact information and how to contact them professionally and what to say. the next day i was contacted by AARP by email and greeted like I had signed on to do what amounted to a 40 hours of work without pay. I was shocked about the meeting, the assumption had signed on to do all this work and the emails. I didn't respond because I was sexually assaulted. I called AARP and spoke to my "friend" and told her crying my life was a tragedy and I couldn't do the work. No questions asked, and no sympathy. She hung up. I haven't heard from her since. I'm glad I've read this blog because I was planning to use their services to re-enter the workforce. I

WE NEED TO START SENDING SNAIL MAIL! I have just suffered the same at the SCSEP Offices in Reno. WE ALL NEED TO BEGIN FILING COMPLAINTS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR! WRITE YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, yes, email, but
snail mail is better! I was told in here in Reno that I, a disabled senior, had my status
changed to a family of ONE! Yes, although it is a family of TWO by the FEDERAL and
STATE governments. Ms Roberts, find her on FINKEDIn, has taken to making her OWN
rules and guidelines. Must be NICE, since their wages, benefits, etc, are paid by OUR
TAXES with a grant from the DOL. I am terrified, afraid I am going to lose my home, for
delinquent property taxes. TO ALL OF YOU, DO NOT BOTHER WITH ARRP, Mister
Cook just emailed me and said I could "reapply", perhaps. Even though I KNOW by
the DOL's webite about the SCSEP program I am MORE than qualified. PLEASE,
START RAISING THE ROOF, CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN, COMPLAIN! Ooo, 44 jobs since July! (This was the end of September 2015). Wow, averages 12 jobs a month? Must be a very busy office, huh?

JUNE 3RD, 2015. i was home, late afternoon, when i received a phone call from someone at the aarp office. she told me the director, eva garcia, wanted to meet with me about reassigning me. i said fine, but i couldn't go into austin, she would have to come to me. i said i'd be at the host agency the next day. the woman said, "Oh no. today was your last day. you're not to go back." needless to say, i was incensed. i had been waiting and expecting( for 6 months) to be reassigned; but, to be called after already putting in 2 days this week, with no fair warning, and no reassignment ready to begin, i felt totally discounted and offended. the last time i had spoken to eva about this ( in january), when i asked her how long i would be at my current host agency, she did say, "until i tell you you're not." she sure told me.
i tried several times that same afternoon and the next morning to reach her, but was told she was unavailable. i was even instructed to call her "when she is available. Have a blessed day." before i was hung up on.
i believe that eva is not providing the services that the SCSEP program is supposed to provide its participants. any requests for assistance, allowed by Title V, were never reponded to. And the wages paid, i believe were less than allowed.
i do believe that someone should take a long look at how this austin office is being run, or better yet, come and speak to the participants. i may be alone in my dissatisfaction and disappointment, but what if i'm not?

First of all I am sorry so many of you are having trouble! I'm in the SCSEP program through a community college in Washington which is falls under DSHS. It took almost 5 months for a position to open up. When it did the first thing I did was decide where I wanted to work. Then I verified that the place I wanted was looking for help. I chose to work on the college campus which is part of State Government and very rules and regulations, not to mention Union, oriented. I coordinated a meeting with the SCSEP Director and the manager of the Department I wanted to work at. If you find a position where the prevailing wage is higher, they will pay you more. I chose to work in INFOTECH. While I am not as skilled as my younger counterparts, I am learning a lot! They make concessions for my limitations, I am 63 and disabled, so it's working out well. I don't impact their budget and they get extra help. It's a win win situation. Re-think where you want to work, and propose it as employment that is funded by someone else instead of a volunteer situation. Most employers have had some bad experiences with volunteers at one time or another. You should be allowed to do just about anything that is considered a job on the SCSEP program. Get creative and explore an idea you've never thought you'd be able to do. This could be your golden opportunity! Check out college campuses and government employment opportunities. Don't limit yourself. I have never been happier with any job I've ever had! Here is a list of the people who oversee the SCSEP program in Washington. http://www.wtb.wa.gov/SeniorCommunityEmployment_Dir..asp

I agree with all of these comments. I was working on staff at the Houston AARP site located at 16770 Imperial Valley Dr, in Houston Texas. The project director there got angry because I was a whistle blower on her office indiscretions to her boss and came in on her off day and told me to get my things and leave the office. This was done in front of a site participant who had come into my office to pick up some paperwork. Everyone is right, this SCSEP organization is a joke, you're definitely not treated with dignity and they definitely don't care about helping you find a job, they are just there milking government funds.

Great Article. analysis . I learned a lot from the details - Does anyone know where my assistant might be able to acquire a template IRS 941 copy to work with ?

Wow. I went looking for the overseeing governmental agency of SCSEP, and this page came up with my search. I feel like the office I've been dealing with "read the book" on client relations after skimming the article and the comments. No wonder the current congressional reps would like to get rid of the program. The intent of the program is good, of course, but how crazy is the program in practice! I've been treated with incredible disrespect, even being insulted for things I've never done or said (or thought!). That's just one thing. I'm not perfect, but the people paid to help on the journey to regular employment don't call and let you know there's a problem. I don't know, it's like they assume you're a bad actor or that you're 12 years old. The office I'm at asks for our help doing their job (finding places to train at) while insulting us at the same time. I've even helped in this way, with no thanks, just insults. It's just utterly strange (and stressful, and time consuming . . .). I have no source of income, but if I did I would not endure this program.

To: treated with no dignity, respect, value, who said; "It is designed to provide job training and job search assistance to individuals age 55 and older with limited income."
NO! No it is NOT!
"The Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) is a community service AND work-based job training program for older Americans. Authorized by the Older Americans Act, the program provides training for low-income, unemployed seniors. Participants also have access to employment assistance through American Job Centers.
SCSEP participants gain work experience in a variety of community service activities at non-profit and public facilities, including schools, hospitals, day-care centers, and senior centers. The program provides over 40 million community service hours to public and non-profit agencies, allowing them to enhance and provide needed services. Participants work an average of 20 hours a week, and are paid the highest of federal, state or local minimum wage. This training serves as a bridge to unsubsidized employment opportunities for participants. Participants must be at least 55, unemployed, and have a family income of no more than 125% of the federal poverty level. Enrollment priority is given to veterans and qualified spouses, then to individuals who are over 65, have a disability, have low literacy skills or limited English proficiency, reside in a rural area, are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have low employment prospects, or have failed to find employment after using services through the American Job Center system." https://www.doleta.gov/seniors/

The SCSEP program has been perverted by AARP Foundation to run up the numbers of participants for the foundation to assist them in getting more Grant money. The program is not being run by the foundation to help Seniors, it's been perverted to run increased numbers of participants through SCSEP in order to benefit the Foundation. The SCSEP is a section of Federal Law under the Department of Labor. It is the Title 5 Older Americans Act, Senior Community Service Employment Program. The way that the AARP Foundation is running it is discriminating against the very people it is intended to help! According to the DOL, the department that funds the SCSEP, "Disparate impact occurs when an employer has policies or practices that appear fair and are fairly applied but have a negative impact on members of a particular sex, race or ethnic group, individuals with disabilities, or other protected groups." The AARP Foundation is using this statement, "I understand that enrollment in SCSEP or unsubsidized employment may cause me to lose all or part of certain public benefits I receive, " in their SCSEP Program Requirements Application form to scare away Disabled people, or anyone receiving public benefits. There is so much more that is just not right about the way AARP Foundation is running the program! I think it's time to complain to OASAM Civil Rights Enforcement for DOL Grant Recipients, Civil Rights Program, "The Civil Rights Center, Directorate of Civil Rights, enforces various Federal statutes and regulations that (1) prohibit discrimination in DOL funded programs and activities; (2) prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability by certain public entities and in DOL conducted activities; and, (3) prohibit discrimination within DOL itself." https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/civil.htm

I was happy with this job until the AARP Foundation took over. They SUCK! Here's who complain to:

OASAM Civil Rights Enforcement for DOL Grant Recipients

Civil Rights Program

The Civil Rights Center, Directorate of Civil Rights, enforces various Federal statutes and regulations that (1) prohibit discrimination in DOL funded programs and activities; (2) prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability by certain public entities and in DOL conducted activities; and, (3) prohibit discrimination within DOL itself.

The primary external activities of this agency include:

conducts equal opportunity compliance reviews of DOL grant recipients on a periodic basis;
investigates discrimination complaints filed against DOL grant recipients as well as certain complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability by State and local governments; and,
provides equal opportunity compliance assistance and training to DOL grant recipients.
The primary internal activities of this agency include:

mediates and/or investigates discrimination complaints filed against DOL;
investigates complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in DOL conducted activities;

https://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/civil.htm

Complain on Facebook and YouTube as well. We need the donars to the AARP Foundation to be aware of what's going on! If there are enough people a Class Action Lawsuit might be effective, it looks like they are violating Labor Laws. That won't go over well since it's a Department of Labor Grant paying for the program.

The intentions of this program are stellar. The results are not. Unfortunately, the end results in "non-profit" corporate welfare. Enough said.

AARP is run by a bunch if mindless village idiots. Irresponsible and RUDE. Most doctors do not accept United Healthcare because they do not pay or take over a year to pay the doctor.

It looks like 'the virus' accomplished a lot...now there are hardly ANY programs anywhere. when before, they used to be all over. The government does not have money to spend on Seniors. After reading about the man treated with "No Dignity or Respect" in Seattle, I read several more and can see what's happening here. I can't believe he put up with it that long. I think I'll take my chances on my own. But no one wants to help elders and they treat all of us with discrimination everywhere.The government has been able to shut down a massive number of programs