Could it work?

I’ve often thought that instead of standing with hands out, we should be working for our welfare. Our money. Our future. Our community.

Many of us seem to rely instead on the kindnesses of others — whether or not they are solicited or guilted into helping us.

Now, I’m sure it’s not that easy to simply turn down help and money when we need it and it is offered, and I know that for many people, there truly is no option. But I do believe that there are some who have got into the sheer habit of it and are taking advantage of that which was meant to go much further and help those who truly need it.

I’ve often spoken publicly about the idea of those who can, volunteering for money or food or even jobs. Perhaps at Winnipeg Harvest, Christmas Cheer Board, Siloam Mission, or Habitat for Humanity where they would be doing something to help others. Or at the Manitoba Children’s Museum, Take Pride Winnipeg, or Meals on Wheels where they can perhaps utilise their skills.

The real benefit comes from volunteering and then telling those around you, “I am volunteering until I can get a job, or I can get more experience, or I make connections that might help me down the line. Volunteering is a way for me to show what I can do and what I am willing to do while I give something back to the community.”

On the surface, it might look all too difficult, but there are groups willing to help those who want to help themselves — i.e., clothes for interviews or volunteer opportunities. And at the end of the day, you never know where it might lead.

Because I think it’s a great idea, I was happy to hear that Tony Abbott, Liberal candidate in the looming Australian federal election, wants to implement a big reform of youth welfare, where young people would volunteer to give up their benefits in return for a guaranteed job.

I think that Mr Abbott’s intention to “break the youth welfare subculture” is brave, ambitious, visionary, and pure common sense. Inspired by Noel Pearson, founder of the Cape York Institute for Policy and Leadership and a pioneer in seeking to break what he calls “passive welfare”, Abbott said: “I think that Noel’s ideas for breaking the cycle in terms of asking young people voluntarily to renounce their welfare entitlement for a period of time in return for a guaranteed job — I think these are well worth further exploring. If we are serious about attacking the entrenched welfare subculture more generally I think we do have to look at some of these visionary ideas.”

Of course, I’d like to see Abbott’s vision go even further, and have a few additional thoughts for those in youth detention centres, but that’s for another time.

Whether his words are enough to get Abbott and the Liberals elected in a few weeks time is neither here nor there for me. But if this idea takes root in any way that will help those who want and/or need an alternative to standing with their hands out, then I have to say that I’m all for it.

It's not for everyone and it won't help everyone, but I can see a few who might appreciate the option to take their future into their own hands.

What do you think?