After numerous job offers, all of which were followed by rejection once they found out about his past, Daniel is told by his work search advisor to go door-to-door to find work. Daniel has issues with this advice as cold callers are often met with suspicion, especially one who’s currently on probation. He runs the idea past his probation officer, with whom he has a weekly meeting and the probation officer says that so long as he’s honest, polite, and prepared for plenty of rejections, there shouldn’t be a problem with him going door-to-door to try to find odd jobs. “What kind of odd jobs?” Daniel asked.

“Anything really… weeding, sweeping leaves, cleaning.” the probation officer suggested. “Pack a rucksack with anything you think you’ll need; a trowel and garden fork, maybe a pair of secateurs, a dustpan and brush, a roll of bin bags, dishcloths and dusters, a few cleaning sprays, one for glass and one for wood, maybe one for plastic… use your imagination.”

“And I’m supposed to charge them?”

“The point of the exercise is that you find work to earn money.” the probation officer replied. “If you spend an hour weeding or sweeping leaves then charge them seven or eight pounds… two hours, fifteen pounds.” he suggested. “Think minimum wage.” he added. “But you will get a lot of rejections and lots of doors slammed in your face. Just be polite. Don’t be pushy and if you do get lucky, work hard and fast and thoroughly.”

“But… no one’s going to let someone like me into their house… and I can’t lie about why I’m going door-to-door.”

“Don’t lie. Just tell them that you’re an ex-offender struggling to find work and you’ve been sent door-to-door to satisfy your commitments in order to receive Universal Credit, otherwise you’ll be sanctioned, which means at least six weeks with no payments.” his probation officer tells him.

“It doesn’t sound like the best sales pitch.” Daniel grimaced.

“It’s the truth though. Honesty is always the best policy.” the probation officer told him. “It will feel like a fruitless task but you need to do something to keep the Department of Work & Pensions happy.”

“But where?” Daniel sighed. “I can’t imagine many people on the Foundry Estate giving out cash for odd jobs… and if I went up to Highgrove or Plushton they’d probably think I was a burglar doing a bit of reconnaissance.. especially if I tell ’em I’m on probation.”

“Some people are more trusting than others. It doesn’t matter whether they live up in Plushton or down on the Foundry… but at least up in Plushton they’ve got large gardens and plenty of cash.” the probation officer advised. “And make sure you’re relatively smart; smart jeans, an ironed shirt, and clean-shaven.”

Plushton is one of those exclusive villages on the far side of the greenbelt. The probation officer googled a map of the village and printed a copy so Daniel could keep track of all the streets he’s ‘knocked’ and wishes him the very best of luck. “I’m gonna need it.” Daniel said as he put the map in his pocket.

Glumly, he packs a rucksack full of all sorts of gardening and cleaning stuff and spends an entire day knocking on doors and having them shut in his face. He gets the odd taker but after three days, he’d been offered only three odd jobs and earned the grand total of £18; three for sweeping a driveway and garden path that took a mere twenty minutes, eight pounds for spending an hour ironing a pile of bedding and seven pounds for an hour’s weeding.

On Friday afternoon, Daniel attends his weekly meeting with his probation officer, who claims that the £25 he’s earned in five whole days isn’t a bad start. “It’s dire!” Daniel replied.

“I know it’s not much but it demonstrates that you’re trying to find work and more importantly, are finding work.” the probation officer replied. “I trust you’ve got paperwork?”

“Er… yes.” Daniel said, showing him the four handwritten invoices; each signed by the householder and marked ‘paid in cash’.

“Good.” the probation officer replied. “So what’s the plan for next week?”

“More of the same I guess.” Daniel apathetically replied. “I’ve only knocked half the village so…” he shrugged.

The following week… he does the same. Gets more doors shut in his face and the odd taker; fifteen pounds for emptying the contents of a garage into a skip which took a couple of hours, a fiver for sweeping some leaves. He trimmed a hedge but didn’t do a very good job so didn’t get paid at all for that. He knocked on several more doors to no avail until a friendly middle aged woman who, after making it clear that she didn’t have any odd-jobs for him, chatted for a moment with Daniel and empathised with his plight. “It’s so hard for youngsters to find work these days.” she said.

Daniel agreed as a drop of rain landed on his forehead.  “I’d best be off Mrs Haverthwaite… I don’t want to get caught in this rain.” he said as another drop splatted on his shoulder.

Mrs Haverthwaite cast her eyes skyward too. “Actually Daniel, there is something you could do for me… I’ve got a stack of laundry on the line… would you mind fetching it in for me… it’ll only take you a tick.”

“Of course Mrs Haverthwaite.” he replied. She directed him around the side of the house to the back door, where she appeared with an empty laundry basket and peg bag. She watched as he quickly unpegged each item, swiftly folded them and dropped each in the basket. The rain pittered and pattered around him as he brought in the washing and just as he was making his way back to the house, the heavens opened and he rushed to the back door. “Phew… that was close.” he said as he handed her the laundry basket.