David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 226: To ask the Minister for Social Protection if working as a volunteer for a charity or other such agency impacts on entitlement to jobseeker's allowance and or jobseeker's benefit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7634/11]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Jobseekers who engage in voluntary work within the State may continue to be entitled to a jobseeker's payment under the voluntary work option provided that, in engaging in the voluntary work, they continue to satisfy the statutory conditions of being available for and genuinely seeking work.

Examples of voluntary work in which jobseekers may engage include helping the sick, elderly or persons with a disability and assisting youth clubs, church groups, sports groups, cultural organisations, or local resident associations. The groups involved may be nationally organised groups or local voluntary or community groups.

The aims of the voluntary work option are twofold, namely to encourage voluntary organisations to involve jobseekers to the greatest extent possible in their existing activities by creating new opportunities for voluntary work and to inform jobseekers of their freedom to involve themselves in voluntary work and to encourage them to do so.

Jobseekers or the voluntary organisation should request an application form (VW1) from their Social Welfare Local Office or they may download a copy from the Department's website. The completed application form should be sent to the local office and a Deciding Officer will determine whether the customer may take up the work in question without affecting entitlement to the jobseeker's payment.