National would offer several work options

Press, 24 April 1987, Page 2

National would offer several work options

PA Wellington A National Government would introduce a number of options of subsidised work for the unemployed to back up its “no work, no dole” scheme, said the Opposition spokesman on employment, Mr Bill Birch, yesterday. Releasing details of National’s policy on employment, Mr. Birch said there was considerable criticism of Labour’s Access scheme. The Government’s response to extensive unemployment had been “very inadequate.” National’s policy was aimed at providing the unemployed with incentive, self-motivation, and self-confidence . to get back into the workforce, Mr Birch said.

It planned to put more educational resources into training and planned other courses paid for by savings in unemployment benefit payments.

Mr Birch said there would have to be more financial incentive so that a person could not earn more on a course — as he claimed happened in Access programmes — than in an unsubsidised job. He declined to say whether this would include cuts in unemployment benefits but said it was more a matter of “increments,” extras paid on top of the basic dole rate.

The Opposition’s policy would keep registered unemployed on the dole for the first four weeks before they joined jobsearch units to help them gain unsubsidised jobs.

Job-search “modules” would be for up to 20 hours a week for . a fortnight at a time.

If unsuccessful in finding a job, unemployed persons would have the option of work-training programmes, one of two personal skills courses called Outdoor Pursuits and Limited Service Volunteers, or work under the Community Enterprise Scheme.

If those options!; were exhausted, work would be available under .private sector subsidies which would be expanded under National’s policy. , ,E‘ Mr Birch said a main aim of the training and personal skills courses would be to motivate younger people who felt they had little future in the workforce.

The training option would emphasise the “hands-on, practical experience in the workplace complemented by theoretical lessons,” the policy statement said. It would have a “sizeable private sector component” and a reform of apprenticeship systems to “traineeships.” It would also target “disadvantaged groups for special consideration.”

The “outward bound” type courses would be aimed at giving personal confidence and developing self-discipline in young people while the Limited Service Volunteers scheme would be resurrected with similar aims for young people “at risk.”

The community work option would provide more opportunities for older people mainly through local authorities and welfare organisations.

Mr Birch said that to avoid the pitfalls of community work schemes, abolished moe than two years ago by the Government, the employing organisations would be given more flexibility and “more ability to exercise their own judgement.” It was inevitable there were going to be clearing and scrub-cutting jobs but also a variety of other work which “guaranteed an alternative to the , dole.” The cost of putting National policy into practice would be about $9OO million.

Asked for comment later, an official in the research department of the Opposition said this figure was “not much more than present costs.” He said unemployment benefits were likely to total about $5OO million this year while Access programmes would cost about $325 million.