Voluntary Work Organisations 001-02010040

Item

Description

1

What are a Voluntary Work Organisation's work health and safety obligations?

Organisations have the same obligations for job seekers, as for any other worker or volunteer. They must make sure their workplace and activities meet all work health and safety obligations under relevant legislation.

2

What tasks can volunteers do?

There are many activities job seekers can do volunteering with an organisation, like:

• gardening and maintenance
• animal or wildlife shelter activities
• public park rehabilitation
• office administration
• retail work

Volunteers cannot do tasks paid workers would normally do.

3

Do organisations need to keep records of job seeker's attendance?

Yes, it is recommended they keep a record of who volunteers, when and for how long.

Services Australia never asks an organisation to collect proof explaining why a job seeker did not attend voluntary work. If proof is needed, the job seeker must give this to Services Australia directly.

4

Is there a minimum number of volunteers an organisation needs to take?

No, organisations decide the type of work and the number of volunteer roles.

5

What records do organisations need to keep when approved?

Organisations should record their ID for verifying a job seeker's voluntary work at an organisation.

For details about recording job seeker attendance, see Item 3 above.

6

Can Employment Service Providers determine if an organisation meets the definition of an approved Voluntary Work Organisation for voluntary work activity and mutual obligation requirement purposes?

Yes, Workforce Australia (including Transition to Work (TtW), Disability Employment Services (DES) and Community Development Program (CDP)) providers can grant approval for a provider managed eligible job seeker, participating in voluntary work activity for the required number of hours to satisfy their mutual obligation requirements. Once approved, these job seekers will be either suspended or exited from employment services, become Centrelink managed and negotiate a Centrelink Job Plan (excluding DES participants in Post Placement Support).