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Loading ...New Deal Scandal can reveal that the new Jobcentre Plus CEO, Darra Singh OBE, was one of the masterminds behind a new National Service system where in particular young unemployed people are to be forced to “volunteer” or lose their benefits. I quote Mr Singh (while still working for Ealing council) saying:
[The benefits of volunteering are great] bringing together young people from different backgrounds to work together towards a common goal. [...] We need to have a debate about the possibility of a national community service – and we should not be afraid of asking whether this should be compulsory.
Since Lesley Strathie left DWP for HM Revenue & Customs, the position has been vacant with Mel Groves filling in the role as Acting Chief Executive. Mr Singh will take over this Autumn from Mel Groves – no formal published date has been assigned though.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2007/jun/10/communities.britishidentity
http://www.dwp.gov.uk/newsroom/press-releases/2009/july-2009/dwp025-09-310709.shtml
How can it be voluntary if it’s forced? And won’t it encroach on the work of the Community Service, the prisons are already overcrowded, so what will happen to the people who are put on Community Service as an alternative to prison?
Perhaps someone should point Mr Darra in the direction of Article 3 of the Human Rights Act.
All stick and no carrot, as usual
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Exactly. Ifs defintely not voluntary.
Community Service will always be separate – Community Service will be for xx amount of hours as set in the courts.
This Compulsory National Service Volunteering will be xx amount of hours per week – and there will be much more people involved than Community Service.
I see your point however I assume those who are forced to do this wouldn’t be doing the same work as those on Community Service: perhaps worse?
If they brought this in they would be in trouble, Human Rights Act 1998 outlaws this. I suppose they will find a loop hole by doing it through private companies.
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Do to get beneifts you have to work for nothing?
What about legal minimum wage? Many charities pay whopping great big salaries!
What about anyone else who gets any kind of financial relief from the government? Child benefit – are all mothers going to be expected to volunteer?
Why is this to be imposed on the unemployed? Why not those who receive free education for their kids? Why not everyone who is resident here?
People need serious help to find serious jobs with wages they can live on and avoid debt incurred by just living! Not being forced out to work for nothing.
Will the volunteering work be aimed at reducing social inequality? Will those on the schemes, such as graduates from low-income backgrounds be able to ‘volunteer’ at some of the top legal firms just as their better off peers will be doing internships for example? Or will those from the wrong side of town be left to sweep the streets?
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1,500,000 people don’t receive the NMW says a Government source.
NMW is easily bypassed.
Compulsory volunteering (even for private businesses i.e. internships/work experience) for benefit is a way round it. As you not paying low wages directly, but someone agreed (forced) to volunteer.
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To stick that figure into perspective (and it don’t include these compulsory voluntary work in return for benefit nonsense) it is the populations of Cambridge, Cardiff, Ely, Nottingham, Oxford, Peterborough, Southampton, Worcester and York COMBINED!
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being told you have to do volunteer work because it is”complusory” isnt right
how can something which is voluntary be compulsory
its just another way of the goverment exploiting the unemployed and harksss back to the depression of the 30’s where men had to clear snow or build walls in return for their dole money
this type of exploitation is deplorable
perhaps if everyone told they have to do compulsory volunteering refused and then signed off the whole idea would collapse within a matter of weeks
though there will be some mugs (read dont want to work want to claim benefit minortity) who will do compulsory voluntary work
they will stop your benefit if you refuse to do compulsory voluntary work so perhaps you are signing off anyway at least you wont get a mark on your file saying you were sanctioned which they can use against you time and time again
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