3.2.9.90 Suitable Activity - Green Corps

Overview

Green Corps is an approved program of work for income support payments as declared by the Employment Secretary under SSAct section 28.

Green Corps activities provide work experience placements that give job seekers the opportunity to volunteer to conserve, preserve and restore Australia's natural or cultural heritage. Job seekers of all ages are able to participate. They can only take place in not-for-profit organisations or local, state/territory and Australian Government organisations and agencies.

Employment services providers will be required to ensure Green Corps activities:

• provide work experience that will develop or enhance a job seeker's ability to work as part of a team, take directions from a supervisor, work independently, communicate effectively and improve job seeker motivation and dependability,
• offer opportunities for structured training for all job seekers where appropriate and available,
• seek local community involvement in activities that will generate outcomes to benefit the community,
• provide flexible work experience opportunities for people with a Work Experience Activity Requirement, voluntary job seekers and job seekers with barriers to employment that will assist them in re-engaging with their community and workplace, and
• provide relevant first aid or occupational health and safety training (note that these do not fall under the category of accredited vocational training for the purposes of reducing a job seeker's obligation in WFD).

Act reference: SSAct section 28 Approved programs of work for income support payment

Eligibility criteria

To be required to do Green Corps, job seekers must:

• be receiving the full rate income support, and
• not be undertaking a suitable activity that already allows the job seeker to fully meet the activity test, and
• not be exempt from the activity test, and
• not have an illness, injury or disability that would be aggravated by the work conditions, and
• have the necessary skills and experience to perform the required tasks.

Failure to commence, complete or comply with the conditions of a Green Corps activity can result in payment being stopped (3.1.13).

Supplement payment

Job seekers receiving income support who participate in Green Corps activities will be eligible to receive a supplement of $20.80 per fortnight to assist with the additional costs of participation. The supplement is taxable, but is exempt from the income test.

The supplement is not paid on a pro-rata basis. The full payment is made for the fortnights in which the activity begins and ends, regardless of the actual number of participation hours completed in those fortnights. If a job seeker leaves an activity without good reason, the supplement will cease to be paid from the first payday after the job seeker ends participation on the activity.

_______________________________________________________

Last reviewed: 1 July 2009