Do you have to keep your SW office informed?

vector

Well it happened... I'm now working a 3 day week....

Not sure it its called Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit?

anyway...

On the "unemployed days" I want to volunteer in a registered charity, unpaid of course, do I have to tell the SW office? or I've always wanted to be an auctioneer, I've been talking to a local one and he said I could be around around his office, doing stuff for one day a week, unpaid of course, to see if it interests me.

AM I supposed to tell my SW office, and if so how? do I go in and queue, or put a letter in their postbox? I emphasise it is all unpaid

GER12

vector wrote: »

Well it happened... I'm now working a 3 day week....

Not sure it its called Jobseeker’s Allowance or Jobseeker’s Benefit?

anyway...

On the "unemployed days" I want to volunteer in a registered charity, unpaid of course, do I have to tell the SW office? or I've always wanted to be an auctioneer, I've been talking to a local one and he said I could be around around his office, doing stuff for one day a week, unpaid of course, to see if it interests me.

AM I supposed to tell my SW office, and if so how? do I go in and queue, or put a letter in their postbox? I emphasise it is all unpaid

The simple answer is to cover yourself tell the social weflare office that you are taking up voluntary work "they call it that you have to look for approval" - In the long term this voluntary work could potentially have benefits for yourself - the department - and the organisations and their clients in which you are going to volunteer. The main reason why people engage in volunteering to give something back to the community, to apply your knowledge and skills in a altruistic way, and also it can help maintaine your positive mental health. Depending on the type of volunteering there is a socializing element, and it will give you an opportunity to develop personal - widen your social networks - and maybe even your work skills can be transferred to other working environments or new one's may be learned through this opportunity. There is also the social value element of volunteering in local communities. Just right a letter to the Dept. explaining that you need to do it for your mental health, to gain experience of work, to learn new skills and to socialize with people.... and tell them what outcomes you will expect whether its re-evaluating your options deciding on a course or training programme that will enable you to secure employment. Get a letter also from the voluntary organisation detailing the hours and day's of volunteering per week - and type of supports they are putting in place training etc.

Xiney

You have to tell them.

But tell them you are continuing to look for full time paid work and have a letter from the volunteer organization stating that you have an agreement to leave your volunteering obligations behind the second you get paid work.