15 October 2000
Press release from New Zealand Association for Citizens Advice Bureaux Inc.
For immediate release
Citizens Advice Bureau welcomes scrapping of work for the dole
One of New Zealand's largest volunteer organisations has given the thumbs-up to the Government's plan to scrap the
controversial work for the dole scheme.
In a submission to Parliament's Social Services Select Committee the New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
welcomed the Bill that would see the Community Work scheme abolished and the return of the unemployment and sickness
benefits.
"The removal of compulsory voluntary work for work-tested beneficiaries is essential and will restore the value of
voluntary work," said Nick Toonen, Chief Executive Officer of the New Zealand Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux
today.
Many community organisations boycotted the Community Work scheme when it was introduced in 1998. It forced job seekers
to do voluntary work in an attempt to improve their job prospects at a time when there were not many real jobs
available.
"When the Community Work or 'work for the dole' scheme was introduced in 1998, we opposed it on the grounds that forcing
people to do voluntary work is a basic contradiction in terms. We are relieved to see this issue is being addressed in
this Bill," Nick Toonen said.
The work for the dole scheme was a reason for the breakdown in the relationship between the Department of Work and
Income and community organisations. The Citizens Advice Bureau has recommended that the Department work closely and
consult with community organisations to ensure the provisions in the Bill are implemented successfully and that the
Department's service to job seekers is improved.
"This Bill will see community organisations offering more volunteer work for job seekers. The Citizens Advice Bureau
will lend our support to the Department of Work and Income to ensure a range of good volunteering options are provided
to job seekers to help equip them with appropriate skills and experiences," Nick Toonen said.
"We also welcome the Bill's intentions to simplify the benefit system and sanction regime, and to improve the one-on-one
service that the Department of Work & Income should be providing job seekers.
"Our submission is based on the collective experience of clients who have used the services of our 91 bureaux over the
past year, and of the bureau workers who have provided that service," Nick Toonen said.
"People benefit in a number of ways from volunteer work. Volunteers give an enormous amount to their communities but in
return they get a great deal back. This is because they are offered the opportunity in a supportive environment to
develop a range of skills and experience that contribute to confidence and self esteem. These include accessing and
using information; communicating with people from many ethnic groups, ages, and backgrounds; computer skills; and
writing reports, press releases, leaflets and other promotional material. These are all skills that employers are
looking for and many of our volunteers go on to paid employment after working at a bureau.
"The passing of this Bill has great significance as we lead up to the International Year of Volunteers, especially for
an organisation such as ours that has over 2,700 volunteers. There is no doubt in our minds that the reason people have
benefited from volunteering for Citizens Advice Bureau is because they have chosen to do so. It is the commitment and
goodwill of our volunteers that keeps our service alive and handling over half a million enquiries each year."
ends
For more information contact Nick Toonen, Chief Executive Officer, 021 135 6085 or Glenda McCallum, Communications
Officer, 04 382 8759 (business hours)