BACK TO WORK PLANS

Today a Government plan was unveiled to make community work mandatory for thousands in receipt of benefits. Unemployed for a year? Then work for 4 weeks in your community carrying out chores such as graffiti removal and litter picking - Unemployed for 2 years? It becomes full time. This hot on the heels of a Guardian interview today which predicts hundreds of thousands of job losses due to the current recession. (I wonder if high ranking city workers will be subject to the same penalties?)
The third sector (non-profit) are always crying out for volunteers. It is almost impossible to volunteer full time if you are in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance, or seek to improve your employment prospects with full time education. Perhaps it is time for a new benefit to be offered?
With claimants opting in for a period of a year (with an option to extend at the Benefit Agencies discretion) where the claimant either opts to work or study full time, as this would improve long term back to work prospects with a better salary.