Gender Differences in the Impact of the ‘Work for the Dole’ Program on Wellbeing and Access to Latent Benefits

Abstract

The aim of this study is to examine gender differences in the impact of the Work for the Dole program on wellbeing and access to latent benefits. Previous studies have shown gender differences in coping and responding to stressful situations, and the vocational interests and psychological responses to participation in personal development programs in the unemployed. The research proposes that participation in Work for the Dole programs will decrease psychological distress in males but not females, but that access to latent and manifest benefits will increase for both. Participants were 45 (20 females, 25 males) unemployed participants surveyed at Time 1 (commencement of the Work for the Dole program) and at Time 2 (sixweeks later) using the GHQ-12 and the LAMB scale. Results showed a significant decrease in psychological distress for males but not for females. It is argued that the Work for the Dole program does not provide valuable work experiences for females and therefore may be discriminatory.

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