I have written extensively about workfare lately. While doing this I have noticed a rather significant increase in the amount of “jobs” on offer asking for volunteers flicking through the Guardian’s job site. There’s always been requests for volunteers but since the economic meltdown this seems to have increased. I have looked at these “jobs” out of interest and they are asking for specific skills and requirements. I gained an enormous amount of skills, knowledge and experience when I volunteered for various radical mental organisations in the 1990s. I did this out of my own free will and there were no sanctions such as loss of benefits if I didn’t volunteer. Volunteering, for me, was useful and a way of gaining expertise. You get a taster of what the organisation is like and it is kinda tailored around what you can do, what you would like to do and commitment.
But things have changed. I saw a “job” advertised by MIND. It was advertising for a Membership Volunteer to work 4 days a week.
The volunteer position is for six months only and is intended to provide vital work experience for someone who may, at this stage, not be able to gain or undertake an employed position.
When reading that I wondered who could commit themselves to six months while on benefit. If you are experiencing mental distress, signed off sick, but would like to go back into the job market in a kinda baby steps way where you can ease your way into an office environment, is this possible? You are claiming ESA, there’s a likelihood that the state will automatically think if you can do this you may as well be bumped onto JSA. Someone, possibly, who is part-time worker may be able to take this kind of work up. Yet it still makes me wonder who can do it without their benefits being undermined.
Also, the job is highly specialised and complex. It also looks stressful in a busy office. You are expected to undertake online research of MIND associations and services, collect and format results on an Excel spreadsheet, assist in mailing recruitment campaigns, undertake internet-based research, carry out as-hoc admin duties. Carry out ad-hoc admin duties? You’re a volunteer!! Also they need to commit themselves to a weekly time slot and 6 months. The job description/person spec reads like a specific role with specific skills. It also emphasises your “responsibilities”… Where’s the benefit? Do you get a paid job at the end of the 6 months?
Essential Criteria
Experience undertaking general duties in an office environment including photocopying, mailing, printing and paper filing.
Capable of using a computer to carry out tasks such as creating, saving and locating files.
Experience of working with Microsoft applications Word and Excel and able to carry out the basic functions of these applications.
Able to use the internet to undertake research and obtain results from queries.
Empathy with Mind’s values, aims and objectives. Understanding of, and commitment to, Mind’s equal opportunity policy.
Desirable Criteria
Previous volunteering experience.
Experience undertaking similar activities within a charitable organisation.
Interest in, or experience working within the mental health sector.
Direct or indirect experience of mental distress.
This volunteer role should be a paid role, even at 4 hours a week it’s better than nothing, which is what you are doing. How will it feel working in that office surrounded by people who are being paid possibly doing similar the same duties. This is a two-tier workforce. You can apply for this “job” freely, you may think you will get skills and experience but remember you are doing it for free. MIND is saving money, for specific duties, by having someone to fulfil the role but there should be a contract of employment, NI, tax, pension and so on. You work you should get paid.
I know the voluntary sector and charities function on unpaid labour but with the economic situation getting worse expect to see paid work being substituted by voluntary. Same kind of work but unpaid. When is workfare workfare? When it’s coerced, punitive and sanctions threatened. But ask yourself, when you see an advertisement asking for your labour for free, for the good of the movement, is this still exploitation? Is this undermining pay and conditions? I think the answer is yes. People should be paid. A day’s work = a day’s pay. If we accept this regarding charities and voluntary sector by excusing the fact they don’t have much money how long before they will be all run by an army of volunteers?
