Campaign group Boycott Workfare has embarked on a week of campaigning against charities involved in workfare schemes, where individuals on Jobseeker's Allowance must do unpaid work.

Focusing on those organisations and charities involved in community work placements which launch this month, the group has led protests at charities including YMCA England and encouraged people to put pressure on organisations said to be involved in the scheme.

On Monday, Boycott Workfare visited the London headquarters of YMCA to campaign against the use of mandatory work experience placements. They surprised workers by turning up with a flash mob to sing “Forced to work at the Y-M-C-A”.

YMCA England has previously said that it has no national contract or agreement with the Department of Work and Pensions, which manages the schemes, and does not receive any payment in exchange for work placements.

However, some local YMCAs, which are independent charities, and some YMCA retail shops do take on people on mandatory work placements.

YMCA response

In a statement, YMCA said: “While the organisation benefits from the individual’s time, skills and contribution, the aim in return is to give the participant an equally beneficial and positive experience.”

Following the protest, a spokesperson from YMCA England told civilsociety.co.uk: “The campaigners have made their views on the government work programme clear and we respect their right to make their views heard.

“It was a peaceful protest and we listened to the points the campaigners wanted to make. Our position has been clearly explained both publicly and directly to campaigners and there is nothing further that we can add at this time.”

The Community Work Programme, which is due to be launched by the Department for Work and Pensions on 24 April, is a mandatory scheme designed for people on Jobseeker’s Allowance whose key barrier to work is a lack of experience and motivation. The scheme involves claimants undertaking a full-time work placement for 30 hours a week for up to 26 weeks alongside a provider-led supported job search.

Jim McLaughlin, a member of Boycott Workfare, spoke against charities’ involvement in forced work schemes.

He said: “The brutal impact of the sanctions regime is clear for all to see as the use of food banks and loan sharks soars. Charities should play no part in punitive forced work schemes: being unemployed is not a crime and workfare does not help people find jobs.

“Six months' forced unpaid work seems to be too much even for some of the biggest workfare exploiters to stomach. As more and more charities refuse to take part, we can stop workfare in its tracks and undermine another devastating 'flagship' government policy.”

Other charities criticised 

Boycott Workfare has also criticised environmental charity Groundwork for its involvement in unpaid work schemes. The campaign group has encouraged people to get in touch with them to protest against its use of community work placements.

In response to these criticisms Groundwork has made it clear that it receives no money from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and that it no longer receives funding from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

It also clarified that it has not bid to run DWP Community Work Placement contracts; however it is likely to be involved in discussions about being a subcontractor to prime contractors when they are announced by the government.

Graham Duxbury, chief executive at Groundwork, told civilsociety.co.uk: “Our goal as a charity is clear – to help more people find rewarding work in more sustainable local economies. Voluntary placements, work experience and intensive employability support are all part of the mix.  

“We recognise that current government contracts entail a stricter application by Jobcentre Plus of conditions and sanctions for those involved but remain focused on ensuring those we support receive a high quality, valuable experience that gives them a better chance of finding and retaining a good job.  

“Like many charities we will continue to seek to influence the way government programmes are designed, procured and managed so that they lead to the best possible outcomes for those who are most vulnerable.”

The Conservation Volunteers

A spokesperson from The Conservation Volunteers, another charity which has been criticised for its involvement in forced labour schemes, told civilsociety.co.uk that it has taken the decision to not participate in the community work progamme as it "does not fit with the current strategic priorities of the charity".

In a statement, the charity had previously said: “Some of TCV’s help is given through Employment Related Programmes. We are proud, particularly at a time of government spending cuts and changes to the welfare and benefits system, that we can be part of the solution. There are growing numbers of people seeking employment, skills and confidence building, and we want to be there to support them.”

Salvation Army

The Salvation Army has confirmed that it will not be involved in Community Work Placements. It was previously criticised by Boycott Workfare for its involvement in back-to-work schemes.

In a statement the charity said: “We feel that a 26-week work experience placement is too long and would not be beneficial. If someone has not found employment within two years, the lack of work experience is clearly not their only barrier to employment.  

“Our concern is that the underlying issues need to be dealt with holistically and work experience is a part of the support needed. As such, we will not be taking part in the Community Work Placement programme.”

DWP comments

A DWP spokesperson said: "Every day our advisers are supporting claimants off benefits to start a new life, and our schemes are helping them do just that by giving them valuable workplace skills and the chance to show employers what they are capable of.

"The vast majority of claimants move off Jobseeker's Allowance within six months, and Help to Work is designed to tackle those with the toughest barriers to getting a job, whether that be a lack of experience and opportunities to gain any, so that the long-term unemployed can have the security of a regular wage."

In May last year, the Information Tribunal ruled that the DWP must publish the names of the businesses and charities which are involved in its unpaid work schemes. This is something that the DWP had claimed would make the programme unworkable. A spokesman from the DWP said that this decision is currently under appeal.

At the time a spokesperson from the DWP said: "Our schemes are helping people back to work but sadly some of those organisations offering jobseekers vital opportunities have been targeted by misguided campaigns.

"We believe releasing this information in this way will cause placement organisations to be unfairly targeted, harming jobseekers' prospects."