WRITTEN EVIDENCE
SUBMITTED BY
SUSANNAH MIDDLETON
[OS 20]
I understand all the furore around the G4S difficulties
and government mistakes. I have had firsthand experience of the
process as a parent of a young person applying for a position.
However, I would also like to ask that you consider
the difficulties of the security guards that have already been
recruited to cover the games. The recruitment process has been
difficult and the communication from the G4S offices has been
terrible. The recruits have been left pretty much in the dark
throughout the process until very recently when G4S put up online
an interactive map of the process.
My son applied at Christmas, had his interview in
April, has had his screening and vetting, his role and SIA training
but was stuck at the LOCOG accreditation hurdle—LOCOG were
supposed to email the recruits directly when their accreditation
was passed, this did not happen. So as rumours and advice from
other recruits abound on the G4S Facebook pages, I took him to
the UDAC centre (90 miles away from home) and his details were
there on the computer; they issued his accreditation there and
then on the spot! He has his accreditation but LOCOG have still
not sent him an email saying that he has passed! He is now waiting
for his SIA Licence and is then ready to be deployed.
In my travels with him during the process I have
met many of the recruits, who despite all the failings of the
recruitment process, have continued with the process because they
all have an immense pride in being able to contribute their time
and services to the Olympics. I can imagine that when they get
to the games venues that they are going to be under an immense
pressure and scrutiny but this workforce have had to overcome
many difficulties and I want to applaud them for their perseverance.
I know bad news sells, but please can you support
the people that have worked so hard to be selected, trained and
deployed—they are ambassadors to the ordinary folk just
as much as the torchbearers, all they want to do is to make a
positive contribution.
<?oasys [pf10p0]
?>I do not want the workforce to be
the laughing stock, subject to ridicule because G4S had to try
and process so many in such little time. Mistakes have been made
with the licensing area of the process, however, I can foresee
that as the recruits are currently being portrayed as uneducated,
non English speaking Muppets that they will be bearing the brunt
at the coalface. Please can you see about covering some positive
human aspects to the recruits because it is not their fault and
they really do want to be given a chance to shine.
Thank you for your attention.
July 2012
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