Want to volunteer? Go to Poundland!

By Ethel Bangwayo
Strategic Engagement Officer, Herts CVS

It has emerged that some Jobseekers have been ‘volunteering’ at their local Poundland after Job Centre (JC) staff informed them that they may lose their jobseekers allowance if they do not do voluntary work. My first instinct was to tut at the incompetence of said JC staff, until I discovered that the Department of Work and Pensions suggests that volunteering could take place in the private sector. The Job Centre staff were therefore well within the (misguided!)guidelines. The DWP has, of course, said that it is possible that their guidance was misinterpreted...

Just like those ‘give-me-your-bank-details-and-address-for-safe-keeping-even-though-you’ve-never-met-me’ scams, there is something about ‘volunteering’ in the private sector that feels like a rip-off. I am not suggesting that business as a sector, is less ‘worthy’ (whatever that means) but I can imagine how soul-destroying a task it is, to offer your time free of charge to an organisation that made a profit of £22 million (from a turnover of £509million*) last year and was able to afford to pay one of its Directors a salary of £748,000* over the same period.

If you are reading this and you work at the Job Centre or are involved in any way with volunteer support, here is a list of worthier, oops, needier places to refer your clients to:

• Volunteer Transport schemes: Driving elderly and disabled people to health and social appointments through a hospital or CVS-run scheme.
• Start-up (and established) VCS groups. You could donate your skills (Accounting, Marketing, Website building, Admin, Communications etc) to a local charity or community group.
• Charity shops. There’s one on almost every street corner.
• Hospitals. Why not become a hospital visitor and put a smile on someone’s face?
• Domestic Violence Helplines. They always need someone to lend an ear and/or a shoulder.
• Befriending schemes. There is no shortage of elderly and isolated people who would be most grateful for some human interaction.
• Youth groups. Recapture your youth. Churches and other organisations are always on the lookout for people to help with youth activities.
• The list goes on …

Let's be clear: I am not suggesting that you keep away from your local Poundland. By all means, go there to do some shopping or for a bit of work experience. If a job is what you are after, Poundland has plans to expand this year and they will even pay you for stacking shelves but only on condition that you drop the title 'Volunteer' and replace it with 'Sales Assistant', 'Merchandiser' or something along those lines.

For those looking to volunteer, your local Volunteer Centre is more than happy to help. For further details about Hertfordshire Volunteer Centres, please see the Volunteering Herts website. For a list of volunteering opportunities, see http://www.do-it.org.uk/ .

*Source: Work Smart and the BBC