Volunteering and Centrelink

If you are currently in receipt of a Centrelink benefit/allowance you should be aware of some guidelines in relation to volunteering.

It is important that you contact your Centrelink officer to determine your eligibility for a Centrelink program before you start volunteering.

Did you know...
People on any payment type may choose to volunteer.

Volunteer Work – without Centrelink Approval
People on any payment type may choose to volunteer. If their volunteering is not counting towards meeting a participation or activity test requirement, this can be done without requiring Centrelink or Job Network approval. Please note, any other activity test requirement must continue to be met.

Approved Voluntary Work
The guidelines for volunteering undertaken to meet an activity test, Mutual Obligation or participation requirement are that your voluntary work:

• must not replace a paid worker;
• is not undertaken in your own home, with your own family, or for your own organisation
• must not involve violence towards people or property
• must have a community focus
• must not be primarily focused on promoting particular religious or political views

Youth Allowance
Youth Allowance recipients seeking to fulfil Mutual Obligation requirements through volunteering participate in Community Work.

For Youth Allowance recipients aged 18–20 Community Work involves 200 hours of volunteering over a six-month period monitored by a Community Work Coordinator. For recipients aged 21–24 this requirement is 240 hours over a six-month period.

Community Work is administered and monitored by a Community Work Coordinator.

Newstart Allowance (21–49)
Job seekers aged 21–49 wishing to use volunteering to meet Mutual Obligation requirements participate in Community Work.

For Newstart Allowance recipients aged 21–39, Community Work usually involves 240 hours of volunteering over a six-month period, monitored by a Community Work Coordinator. For principal carer parents and jobseekers assessed as having a partial capacity to work this requirement may be reduced to 150 hours over a six-month period.

For customers aged 40–49, their requirement is 150 hours over a six-month period and is also monitored by a Community Work Coordinator.

Newstart Allowance (50–54)
Job seekers aged 50 and over do not have a Mutual Obligation requirement, but must meet the Activity Test. Customers aged 50-54 may be able to partially satisfy their activity test by undertaking voluntary work. This needs to be agreed with an employment service provider and should be beneficial to the client's employment prospects.

Newstart Allowance (55+) and Mature Age Allowance
People aged 55-plus are able to undertake volunteering or part time work, or a combination of these for 30 hours per fortnight to fully meet activity test requirements. In fully meeting the activity test people participating in this 'full time' option may elect to withdraw from other programs such as the 'Job Network'.

Parenting Payment
For Parenting Payment recipients with participation requirements, Community Work can assist to meet their part time Mutual Obligation of 150 hours over 26 weeks in any one year period. Any Community Work undertaken should have a strong vocational focus, and be likely to assist the person to obtain paid employment. This Community Work needs to be monitored by a Community Work Coordinator.

Approved Voluntary Work – Mutual Obligations

People in receipt of the Youth Allowance or Newstart may also choose volunteer work as a means of participating in the mutual obligations initiative. Volunteer work as part of the mutual obligation initiative applies to people between specific ages.

For more information about mutual obligation guidelines, please contact your local Centrelink office.

What is Community Work?
Community Work is an Australians Working Together initiative of the Commonwealth Government. It allows you to work in an approved volunteer organisation and earn a Training Credit.

Community Work is voluntary work undertaken by jobseekers and income support recipients who are registered with and monitored by a Community Work Coordinator.

Community Work must:

• be of benefit to the community and the Community Work participant
• not result in any financial payment to participants over and above their income support and
• only occur in designated volunteer positions.

Availability is dependent on your age group and length of registration with Centrelink. You will need to check with your Centrelink Officer to determine your eligibility for the program.

Who can do Community Work?
If you are aged between 18 and 65 and on income support you are eligible for Community Work and may choose to volunteer so you can get some work experience and/or earn a Training Credit. Community Work is also one way you can meet your mutual obligation if you have to fulfil that requirement.

Where do I get more information on Community Work?
For more information on Community Work, contact your Community Work Coordinator or Job Network member. You can also find information by telephoning 13 62 68.