Nats to unveil work-for-the-dole scheme

The National Party will this week unveil the outline of the work-for-the dole scheme it will take into the next election.

Dubbed "activity in the community" the programme will be based on Australia's work for the dole scheme – a move foreshadowed earlier this year by National leader John Key.

Representatives of one of the non-government groups which co-ordinates placements in the Australian programme will tomorrow brief about 12 local non-government groups at a National Party-hosted forum at Parliament.

Under the Australian scheme beneficiaries spend at least two days a week doing volunteer work for community groups – with a focus on pairing individuals to skill areas they are interested in.

National's welfare spokeswoman Judith Collins said the broad outline of National's scheme would match the Australian one, although the final details were yet to be settled.

The forum was a chance to get the feedback of groups which might be involved in the programme.

National would look to run a pilot of the scheme – in south Auckland and possibly Northland and Gisborne – in its first year of government, initially targeting under 26-year-olds eventually rolling it out across the country and extending it to the long-term unemployed.

"The programme won't be cheap so we want to make sure we get it right before we spend a heap of money on it," Ms Collins said.

She said the programme differed from the work for the dole scheme of the 1990s – instituted under the National-led government – as it was only for two days a week and had a far greater emphasis on training.

That scheme was beset with problems including finding sufficient organisations and supervisors to oversee participants and finding work that did not undercut paid jobs.

In February, shortly after his Burnside "underclass" speech, Mr Key said the Australian scheme had achieved good results with 42 per cent of those participating moving into full-time training or work.

It had also weeded out people who were secretly working for cash.

He said those who refused to take part would face a financial penalty.

The Maori Party have voiced support for a work-for-the-dole scheme.

Ms Collins said National was yet to decide if the bar would be set at three or six months unemployment for young people or whether participants should get "training credits" for taking part which they could use to pay for study towards a vocational qualification.

National's 2005 policy included a work-for-the-dole scheme, but with little detail about how it would work.

Acting Social Development Minister Steve Maharey said work-for-the-dole schemes did not help the unemployed find real jobs. Ministry of Social Development research showed such programmes increased the total time people received benefits.

He said the Government was working with employers through industry training partnerships to provide tailor-made training for unemployed people to get into careers in hospitality, trade industries, trucking and contact centres.

"Activity in the community" schemes were available throughout the country for non work-tested clients, like those on the domestic purposes benefit.

"It is a worthwhile programme which helps with motivation, confidence, skills and self-esteem. It may indirectly prepare clients for employment but that is only one of its aims," he said.

- NZPA