Should people who receive welfare be required to do community service?

[Bass]

I don't know about community service, but they should definatly be top of the list for goddamn jury duty.

 

[Clownfish]

I don't know about community service, but they should definatly be top of the list for goddamn jury duty.

You want people who are on the dole due to being incompetent to determine the fate of other people?

 

[Bass]

You want people who are on the dole due to being incompetent to determine the fate of other people?

Jury of their peers, man.

 

[Chaos Theorist]

When I were a lad, being "on the dole" as it was called back then, was a shameful thing. It was stigmatized. People fought tooth and claw to get off benefits. Nowadays it's seen as being clever to game the system and get free money from the state.

Yes but you know you had actual jobs to go to not working zero hour contracts for fuck all money. The deindustrialisation of the UK was a grave mistake that has created an entire underclass of Lumpenproletariat feral chavs.

 

[Black Waltz]

I don't see why not.

 

[Jacquetta]

I'd be all right with it but only on a case by case basis. Don't think there's a way to enforce that otherwise that wouldn't end up costing heaps more money and inconveniencing a lot of people.

I wouldn't want to be the person who has to babysit ADF to keep him on task, let's put it that way.

 

[AnOminous]

I'd be all right with it but only on a case by case basis. Don't think there's a way to enforce that otherwise that wouldn't end up costing heaps more money and inconveniencing a lot of people.

I wouldn't want to be the person who has to babysit ADF to keep him on task, let's put it that way.

Efficiency is not improved by making speds "work" when just keeping them "working" consumes the entire efforts of another person.

Maybe people like ADF should just be put in camps where their basic needs are taken care of but they otherwise don't get to bother normal people. If they can sort glass or something, they can hold a job in the real world like that actually disabled Down's guy in that commercial everyone makes fun of, even though he's a far better person than ADF.

 

[BadaBadaBoom]

Welfare should be abolished and replaced with a Patreon model where we can give away our money to those that can draw us the best animal porn.

 

[ADN_VIII]

I think there are too many factors involved in how people qualify for welfare to make a blanket decision, but I think it isn't a bad idea. Someone who's emotionally disabled or has a learning disability can usually find a job as a janitor or something in most big retail chains, plus it gives them a sense of self value.

Someones who's physically disabled or working full time shouldn't be made to do community service, with an obvious exception if they volunteer or something. For a full time worker, finding the hours to pull community service can be difficult in today's always on call world and the physically handicapped will find the work difficult to start with.

Someone like OPL or ADF should be sequestered but not segregated. Since no one actually wants them around, keeping them out of the way and contained is a reasonable goal. Set up a little commune or something that they can keep to themselves in. It'll be maintained, but the option for the residents to pitch in should always be on the table.

 

[Clownfish]

I believe universal income should replace welfare and disability. Instead of having endless agencies and forms of welfare it should be just one department. If ya disabled and qualify then there ya go.

The one practical reason to have welfare is it keeps the broken fed and clothed. Cause once they go hungry is when they begin to cause political unrest.

 

[Medicated]

I see this debate pop up now and then and I'd like to see what my fellow Kiwis think.

Personally, I don't see how this has a downside. Of course, some people would be exempted (like the disabled and people who are taking job training courses), but I think if you have a healthy body and you're receiving government benefits you should be required to do a few hours of community service per month. People should also be allowed to choose what they want to do (be it working in an animal shelter, a food kitchen, a library, organizing events, etc).

I've seen people complain about how "insulting" this is to welfare recipients, but is it really? There's nothing bad about giving back to the community that's been supporting you. Plus, volunteer work is good for the soul; I've worked in animal shelters, food kitchens, and other places and I have nothing but positive things to say about my experiences. I'm sure that a lot of other Kiwis feel the same way. Getting out and helping other people never has any downsides.

:powerlevel:
I was part of a proposed council program for that years and years ago. You get given a job for a charity organization or in some cases it's a front company that wants unpaid labor (and it's legal!). There was a big sign telling everyone this was the councils new unemployed program, people would drive past, shout abuse about being losers, throw cans at them. No one really socialized that much, because most people didn't have any money, so you couldn't invite people over or throw a party. The people were ashamed to be unemployed. Only the stupidest borderline criminals or mentally deranged were actually proud of living like a pauper, to "show it to the man".