Doris Supple is chastised for soiling herself whilst simultaneously handling 14 web chat sessions
Thursday March 29th 2007. Posted: 15:04
JUICYFRUITHIPPO is helping to fund a new project that will enable people living in supported housing to earn extra cash to help with the heating bills by forcing them to work long hours in specially designed and badly ventilated contact centres.
The scheme - known as Cheaplabour - is paving the way for older people to get online and take advantage of the contact centre employment revolution.
In addition to JUICYFRUITHIPPO, Cheaplabour has been funded by the the CBI, Moist Control Incontinence Solutions PLC and the recently reformed prog rock band Genesis.
They are working with voluntary and social enterprise partners Help the Aged, InterActYourAge and MilkIT to provide each supported housing scheme with PCs, broadband connections and essential training and support for residents, as well as training for the staff who look after them.
The first scheme to be connected is in Chelmsford, which is already online, and this will be followed in Colchester and Billericay. 40 contact centre agents will work round the clock selling tickets, T shirts and tour programmes for the up coming Genesis comeback tour. A further back up of twenty reserve agents are constantly on standby in a nearby container truck, being fed Garibaldis whilst watching videos of Song of Praise, in the event of any of the primary agents dieing.
The project has been introduced amid government concern about a digital divide, where some sections of the community have access sweat shop like employment - such as Cold Calling for double glazing companies and online pornography – while others do not.
Stan Blokeman CEO of JUICYFRUITHIPPO, said: "This is a great example of organisations from the public, private, charitable and progressive rock sectors working together to bring new opportunities to people who, although they smell heavily of urine, have not yet benefited from the broadband revolution. Each partner is bringing their own expertise and skills to make it happen and it is already showing signs of real success."
Genesis Tour Drummer Chester Thompson said: “Getting everyone connected to to our new agents is a key priority for the band; Phil needs at least 15 million in T shirt revenue to fund his next divorce”. An Ofcom consumer panel study in 2006 found that only 28 per cent of people over the age of 65 have home internet access, compared with the general UK average of 57 per cent.
Peter Gabriel was quoted as being outraged "With so many older people in our region on the wrong side of the digital divide, this project is only making the problem worse by developing cost-effective methods that force older people to become IT literate.”
“Yeah, but you look like a wizardly gnome these days so shut up and get back to processing those credit card orders ” replied Blokeman